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BAKGRUNN (fra kommisjonsforordningen)

(1) African swine fever is an infectious viral disease affecting kept and wild porcine animals and 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 their exports to third countries.

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 (2) lays down special disease control measures regarding African swine fever to be applied for a limited period of time by the Member States, which are listed, or which have areas listed in Annexes I and II thereto (the Member States concerned). Annex I to that Implementing Regulation lists restricted zones I, II and III following outbreaks of that disease. The areas listed as restricted zones I, II and III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 are based on the epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Union.

(3) Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 was last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/808 (3) following changes in the epidemiological situation as regards that disease in Croatia and Poland. Since the date of adoption of that Implementing Regulation, the epidemiological situation as regards that disease has evolved in Greece.

(4) Any amendments to the restricted zones I, II and III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should be based on the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in the areas affected by that disease and the overall epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Member State concerned, the level of risk for the further spread of that disease, as well as scientifically based principles and criteria for geographically defining zoning due to African swine fever as laid out in the African swine fever guidelines developed by the Commission and the Member States (4). Such amendments should also take account of international standards, such as the Terrestrial Animal Health Code (5) of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and justifications for zoning provided by the competent authorities of the Member States concerned.

(5) Since the date of adoption of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/808 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, there has been a new outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal in Greece.

(6) Following this recent outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal in Greece and taking into account the current epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in the Union, zoning in this Member State has been reassessed and updated in accordance with Articles 5 and 6 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. In addition, the risk management measures in place have been reassessed and updated. These changes should also be reflected in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594.

(7) In February 2024, one outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in the Central Macedonia Region in Greece, in an area currently listed as a 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, which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, this area of Greece currently listed as a restricted zone I in that Annex affected by this recent outbreak of African swine fever, should now be listed as a restricted zone II in that Annex instead of as a restricted zone I thereof and the current boundaries of restricted zone I also need to be redefined to take account of this recent outbreak.

(8) In order to take account of the recent developments in the epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Union, and in order to combat the risks associated with the spread of that disease in a proactive manner, new restricted zones of a sufficient size should be demarcated for Greece and listed as restricted zones I and II. As the situation as regards African swine fever is very dynamic in the Union, when demarcating those new restricted zones, account has been taken of the epidemiological situation in the surrounding areas.

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

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