(fra kommisjonsforordningen)

(1) African swine fever is an infectious viral disease affecting kept and wild porcine animals and it can have a severe impact on the concerned animal population and the profitability of farming, causing disturbance to movements of consignments of those animals and products thereof within the Union and exports of those consignments to third countries.

(2) Commission Delegated Regulation 2020/687 (2) supplements the rules for the control of the listed diseases referred to in Article 9(1), points (a), (b) and (c), of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and defined as category A, B and C diseases in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882. In particular, Articles 63 to 66 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 provide for certain measures to be taken in the event of an official confirmation of an outbreak of a category A disease in wild animals, including African swine fever in wild porcine animals. Notably, those provisions provide for the establishment of an infected zone and prohibitions on movements of wild animals of listed species and products of animal origin thereof.

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 (3) lays down special disease control measures for African swine fever to be applied for a limited period of time by the Member States which are listed, or have areas listed, in Annexes I and II thereto. That Implementing Regulation lays down rules, inter alia, on the listing at Union level in Annex I thereto of restricted zones I, II and III following outbreaks of African swine fever, and rules on the listing at Union level in Annex II thereto of areas established as infected zone or restricted zone, comprising protection and surveillance zones, following an outbreak of that disease in a previously disease-free Member State or zone.

(4) Also, in the case of an outbreak of African swine fever in wild porcine animals in a Member State, Article 3, point (b), of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 provides for the establishment of an infected zone by the competent authority of that Member State, in accordance with Article 63 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.

(5) Finland informed the Commission of the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever on its territory following the confirmation of further outbreaks of that disease in wild porcine animals in the infected zone in the Kymenlaakso region, confirming that the measures for the infected zones have been duly implemented in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, in order to prevent the further spread of that disease.

(6) Taking account of the current epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in wild porcine animals in the Kymenlaakso region in Finland, in accordance with Article 6(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, this area in the Kymenlaakso region in Finland should be removed from Part A of Annex II to that Implementing Regulation and listed instead as restricted zones II and I in Annex I to that Implementing Regulation, as last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1961 (4) and the current boundaries of the restricted zones I and II should also be redefined to take account of those outbreaks.

(7) In addition, in August 2026 an outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in the Kymenlaakso region in an area currently not listed in Annexes I and II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 but in close proximity to the current infected zone listed in Annex II to that Regulation. This new outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal constitutes an increased level of risk and in order to ensure territorial continuity, in accordance with Article 6(2) of that Implementing Regulation, this area of Finland currently not listed and affected by that outbreak, should, therefore, now be listed as a restricted zone II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and the current boundaries of the restricted zones I and II should also be redefined to take account of that outbreak.

(8) Changes to the listing of restricted zones I, II and III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 must be based on the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in the areas affected by that disease, the overall epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Member State concerned, and the level of risk for the further spread of that disease. Restricted zones are also established on scientifically agreed principles and criteria for geographically defining zoning due to the presence of African swine fever laid out in the Commission Notice on the guidelines on the prevention, control and eradication of African swine fever in the Union (ASF guidelines), as well as taking account of international standards, such as the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and justifications for zoning provided by the competent authorities of the Member State concerned.

(9) Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 was last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1961 following changes in the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy and Poland.

(10) Since the date of adoption of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1961, Hungary and Poland have notified the Commission of new outbreaks of African swine fever in kept porcine animals, and Poland has notified the Commission of new outbreaks in wild porcine animals.

(11) In August 2026, an outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals was observed in the Baranya County in Hungary in an area currently listed as restricted zone II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. This new outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals constitutes an increased level of risk, so the area of Hungary currently listed as a restricted zone II and affected by that outbreak, should therefore now be listed as a restricted zone III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and the current boundaries of the restricted zones II and III should also be redefined to take account of that outbreak.

(12) In August 2026, an outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals was observed in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region in Poland in an area currently listed as restricted zone I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. This new outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals constitutes an increased level of risk, so the area of Poland currently listed as a restricted zone I and affected by that outbreak, should therefore now be listed as a restricted zone III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and the current boundaries of the restricted zones I and III should also be redefined to take account of that outbreak.

(13) In August 2026, two outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals were observed in the Podkarpackie and Zachodniopomorskie regions in Poland in areas currently listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, but in close proximity to areas currently listed as restricted zones I in that Annex. These new outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals constitute an increased level of risk, so the areas of Poland currently listed as restricted zones I should therefore now be listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and the current boundaries of the restricted zones I and II should also be redefined to take account of those outbreaks.

(14) In August 2026, an outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in the Podkarpackie region in Poland in an area currently listed as restricted zone I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. This new outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal constitutes an increased level of risk, so the area of Poland currently listed as a restricted zone I and affected by that outbreak should therefore now be listed as a restricted zone II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and the current boundaries of the restricted zones I and II should also be redefined to take account of that outbreak.

(15) Accordingly, in order to take account of these recent developments in the epidemiological situation concerning African swine fever in the Union, and to proactively combat the risks associated with a further spread of that disease, the entries concerning restricted zones in Finland, Hungary and Poland set out in Annexes I and II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should be amended.

(16) As the situation as regards African swine fever is very dynamic in the Union, when demarcating these new restricted zones, account has also been taken of the epidemiological situation in areas surrounding these outbreaks.

(17) Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the serious risks of the spread of African swine fever, it is important that the amendments made by this Implementing Regulation to Annexes I and II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 take effect as soon as possible.

(18) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,