(fra kommisjonsforordningen)

(1) Regulation (EU) 2016/429 lays down rules for the prevention and control of animal diseases that are transmissible to animals or to humans. In particular, Chapters 3 and 4 of Title I of Part IV of that Regulation lay down the animal health requirements for movements within the Union of kept terrestrial animals and wild animals respectively. 

(2) In addition, Article 4, point (18), of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 defines ‘listed diseases’, and Article 5 of that Regulation provides that disease-specific rules are to apply for the prevention and control of listed diseases, including infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24), and infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus. 

(3) Moreover, Article 9(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 lays down disease prevention and control rules to be applied to different categories of listed diseases. Pursuant to Article 9(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 categorises each listed disease as a category A, B, C, D or E disease, which is subject to the corresponding disease-specific rules referred to in Article 9(1), points (a) to (e) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429. Infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) was categorised as a C+D+E disease until recently and infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus is categorised as a category D+E disease, as set out in the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882. Consequently, those diseases were subject to the disease-specific rules referred to in Article 9(1), points (c), (d) and (e) or (d) and (e), respectively of Regulation (EU) 2016/429. 

(4) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 was adopted within the framework of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and supplements the rules for the prevention and control of the listed diseases referred to in Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 as regards movements within the Union of kept terrestrial animals and wild animals, including ungulates, susceptible to infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) and infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus. 

(5) Infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) was listed until recently as a category C+D+E disease in the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 and one of the disease-specific measures to prevent and control was the establishment of an optional eradication programme, in accordance with Article 31(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429. The rules for optional eradication programmes for infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) are laid down in Section 4 of Chapter 2 of Part II and in Part II of Annex V to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689. In addition, Article 43 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 also lays down rules for the movements of animals into Member States or zones thereof covered by eradication programmes for infection with the bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24). Consequently, the requirements related to infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) for movements within the Union of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 are, by way of cross-references, those laid down in Article 43 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 for movements of animals when entering into a Member State or zone thereof covered by an eradication programme. 

(6) Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882, has recently been amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/169, which applies as of 15 July 2026. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/169 has re-categorised infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) as a category D+E disease. Such re-categorisation necessitates the amendment of the rules for infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) as regards optional eradication programmes, including the requirements for movements of animals when entering into a Member States or zone thereof covered by an eradication programme for the bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) laid down in Article 43 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689. Those amendments to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 apply from 15 July 2026. Therefore, the requirements related to infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) for movements within the Union laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688, also need to be amended from that date. 

(7) Accordingly, this Regulation should amend the rules laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 for movements of the listed species Antilocapridae, Bovidae, Camelidae, Cervidae, Giraffidae, Moschidae, Tragulidae within the Union as regards infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) by replacing the current cross references to, and rules laid down in, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689. 

(8) Infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) and infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus are from an epidemiological point of view two similar diseases and they affect the same listed species. Therefore, it is appropriate to align the animal health requirements for movements of listed species within the Union for both diseases. Moreover, the experience gained in recent years controlling infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) and infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus has shown the need to simplify and make certain adjustments to a number of animal health requirements laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688. 

(9) As regards infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus, supplementary risk mitigating measures for operators of slaughterhouses related to transport operations are currently laid down in Article 9(3) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688, and are applicable to a very limited number of situations. As regards infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24), supplementary risk mitigating measures for operators of slaughterhouses related to transport operations are laid down in Article 9(2) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688, and are applicable to a limited but wider range of situations. However, both of those provisions are of low level of effectiveness to prevent the spread of those diseases in the current epidemiological situation and considering the vector-borne spread of both diseases. Due to their low level of effectiveness, such supplementary risk mitigating measures represent an additional burden for operators, while not adding a significant risk prevention value. For that reason and for the sake of alignment of Union rules, those supplementary risk mitigating measures for operators of slaughterhouses should be deleted from Article 9(2) and (3) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688. 

(10) For the sake of simplification of Union rules, this Regulation should amend Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 by removing the possibility for the competent authority of the Member State of destination to accept the movement of animals not subject to any animal health requirements concerning infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1- 24) currently laid down in Article 13, and Articles 17, point (b), 24, point (b), 27, point (b), and 30, point (b), of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688, or not subject to any animal health requirements concerning infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus currently laid down in point (a) of the second subparagraph of Articles 10(1), 15(1), 23(1), 26(1) and 29(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688, as these two possibilities have been rarely used by the Member States. 

(11) Based on experience gained concerning the application of the current rules, received from several stakeholder organisations and the competent authorities of the Member States, this Regulation should remove the existing derogation for movements of kept animals intended for slaughter to other Member States whereby the animals must come from an establishment in which infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) has not been reported during the last 30 days prior to the date of departure currently laid down in Articles 14, point (e), 18, point (e), 25, point (c), 28, point (c) and 31, point (c) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688. The risk posed by the movement of animals from establishments where the disease was reported in the previous 30 days is adequately addressed by the provisions laid down in Article 126(1), point (a) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, to prevent movement of animals which show disease symptoms, and the existing obligations laid down in Article 9 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 for the operator of the slaughterhouse to slaughter these animals within 24 hours of arrival. 

(12) Moreover, this Regulation should amend Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 by removing the existing supplementary animal health requirements for infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24), currently laid down in Articles 32 and 33 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688, and for infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus for transport operations, currently laid down in the third subparagraph of Articles 10(1), 15(1), 23(1), 26(1) and 29(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 as they are very difficult to apply and of limited effectiveness to prevent the spread of those diseases in the current epidemiological situation and considering the vectorborne spread of both diseases. 

(13) As regards infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus, currently there are no requirements laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 related to this disease for movements of kept terrestrial animals from confined establishments into confined establishments in another Member State. As regards infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24), there are requirements related to this disease for this type of movement currently laid down in Article 64 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688. However, the risk posed by this type of movement is adequately addressed by the existing obligation, laid down in Article 64 (1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688, for the operator to only move kept terrestrial animals from a confined establishment to a confined establishment in another Member State if those animals do not pose a significant risk for the spread of diseases for which they are listed, based on the results of the surveillance programme covering those animals. Therefore, for the sake of simplification and alignment of Union rules, the requirements related to infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) should be deleted from Article 64 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688. 

(14) As regards infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus, currently there are no special rules laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 for movements of travelling circuses and animal acts to other Member States. As regards infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24), there are requirements related to this disease for this type of movements currently laid down in Article 65 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688. Considering the current epidemiological situation, the existing special rules are of limited effectiveness to prevent the spread of infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24). Therefore, for the sake of simplification and alignment, these special rules related to infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) should be deleted from Article 65 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688. 

(15) Concerning the movement of wild terrestrial animals to other Member States, the existing rules laid down in Article 101 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 do not provide for risk mitigation measures related to infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus other than the absence of the disease within a radius of 150 km during the last 2 years prior to the date of departure. For infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24), Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 provides for additional risk mitigation measures. For the sake of alignment, this Regulation should amend Article 101 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 in order to provide for additional risk mitigation measures related to infection with epizootic haemorrhagic disease in line with those provided for infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24). 

(16) Article 144(1), point (a)(iv), of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 empowers the Commission to adopt delegated acts concerning derogations from the animal health certification requirements provided for in Article 143(1) of that Regulation, for movements of kept terrestrial animals, which do not pose a significant risk for the spread of listed diseases, where the place of destination of those kept terrestrial animals is in the same Member State as their place of origin but which pass through another Member State in order to reach their place of destination. 

(17) Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 supplements Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and lays down animal health requirements for movements within the Union of terrestrial animals, including equine animals. When applying the rules laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 some Member States have experienced that certain operators are moving their registered equine animals from one establishment to another, both located in the territory of the same Member State, but passing through other Member States, as such routes seem to be logistically more suitable. Movements of registered equine animals, which comply with the general requirements laid down in Article 124 of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and with the disease prevention measures in relation to transport laid down in Article 125 thereof, do not pose a significant risk for the spread of listed diseases, provided that during the passage the registered equine animals are physically separated from equine animals of the Member State of passage. Therefore, the movements of such registered equine animals should be allowed without animal health certification if they are accompanied by a self-declaration document issued by operators and a new article should be inserted in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 containing provisions for such movements. 

(18) As the amendments made to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/169 concerning the new categorisation of infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) apply from 15 July 2026 this Regulation should also apply from that date. 

(19) Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 should, therefore, be amended accordingly,