(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) Poland informed the Commission of the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever on its territory following the confirmation of two outbreaks of that disease in wild porcine animals in the Zachodniopomorskie region on 4 February and on 10 March 2026, in areas that were previously free of that disease. The competent authority of that Member State established two infected zones in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, where the general disease control measures laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 were applied, in order to prevent the further spread of that disease.

(6) In the case of a first outbreak of African swine fever in wild porcine animals in a previously disease-free Member State or zone, Article 6(2) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 provides for the listing of that area as an infected zone in Part A of Annex II to that Implementing Regulation. Consequently, the infected zones established by the competent authority of Poland in the Zachodniopomorskie region, were listed in Part A of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594.

(7) Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 was amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/483 (4) and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/767 (5) following changes in the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in disease free areas in Poland.

(8) Poland has informed the Commission of the current epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in wild porcine animals in the infected zones in the Zachodniopomorskie region, confirming the absence of further outbreaks in this species in that zone.

(9) Taking account of the current epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in wild porcine animals in the Zachodniopomorskie region in Poland, these areas in the Zachodniopomorskie region in Poland should be removed from Part A of Annex II to that Implementing Regulation.

(10) Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 was last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1192 (6) following changes in the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

(11) Since the date of adoption of that Implementing Regulation amending Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, Germany, Italy and Poland have notified the Commission of new outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals, and Hungary and Croatia have notified the Commission of new outbreaks in kept porcine animals. The epidemiological situation has also improved for kept porcine animals in Latvia, and for wild porcine animals in certain areas in Italy, Lithuania and Slovakia.

(12) In June 2026, several outbreaks of African swine fever in kept porcine animals were observed in the Virovitičko-podravska and Osječko-baranjska counties in Croatia in areas currently listed as restricted zone I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. These new outbreaks of African swine fever in kept porcine animals constitute an increased level of risk, so the areas of Croatia currently listed as restricted zones I and affected by those outbreaks, should therefore now be listed as restricted zones 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 those outbreaks.

(13) In addition, in June 2026, an outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals was observed in the Osjecko-Baranjska county in Croatia in an area currently listed as restricted zone III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, but in close proximity to an area currently listed as a restricted zone I in that Annex. This new outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals constitutes an increased level of risk, so the area of Croatia currently listed as a restricted zone I 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.

(14) In May and June 2026, several outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals were observed in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany in an area currently listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, but in close proximity to an area currently listed as a restricted zone I in that Annex I. These new outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals constitute an increased level of risk, so the area of Germany currently listed as restricted zone I should therefore now be listed as 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 those outbreaks.

(15) In June 2026, an outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals was observed in the Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county in Hungary in an area currently listed as a 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.

(16) In June 2026, an outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in the Piedmont region in Italy 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, so the area of Italy 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.

(17) In June 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 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, 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.

(18) In May and June 2026, two outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals were observed in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie and Wielkopolskie 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.

(19) On the basis of the information and justification provided by Italy, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever being applied by that Member State in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 for wild porcine animals in certain areas listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and in particular those measures foreseen in Articles 64, 65 and 67 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, an area in the Piedmont region in Italy, currently listed as restricted zone II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, should now be listed instead as restricted zone I in that Annex, due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept and wild porcine animals in that restricted zone II for the past twelve months.

(20) On the basis of the information and justification provided by Italy, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever for wild porcine animals in certain areas listed as restricted zones I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and in particular those measures foreseen in Articles 64, 65 and 67 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, certain areas in the Piedmont and Lombardy regions in Italy, currently listed as restricted zones I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, should now be delisted from that Annex due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept and wild porcine animals in those restricted zones I for the past twelve months.

(21) On the basis of the information and justification provided by Latvia, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures being applied by that Member State in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 for African swine fever for kept porcine animals in areas listed as restricted zone III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and in particular those measures foreseen in Articles 22, 25 and 40 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, a part of the Dienvidkurzemes county in Latvia, currently listed as a restricted zone III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, should now be listed as a restricted zone II, due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept porcine animals in that restricted zone III for the past three months, while the disease is still present in wild porcine animals.

(22) On the basis of the information and justification provided by Lithuania, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever being applied by that Member State in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 for wild porcine animals in certain areas listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and in particular those measures foreseen in Articles 64, 65 and 67 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, certain areas in the Jurbarko, Šakių and Vilkaviškio regions in Lithuania, currently listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, should now be listed instead as restricted zones I in that Annex, due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept and wild porcine animals in those restricted zones II for the past twelve months.

(23) On the basis of the information and justification provided by Poland, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever being applied by that Member State in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 for wild porcine animals in certain areas listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and in particular those measures foreseen in Articles 64, 65 and 67 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, certain areas in the Dolnośląskie, Lubuskie, Opolskie, Śląskie and Wielkopolskie regions in Poland, currently listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, should now be listed instead as restricted zones I in that Annex, due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept and wild porcine animals in those restricted zones II for the past twelve months.

(24) On the basis of the information and justification provided by Poland, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever for wild porcine animals in certain areas listed as restricted zones I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and in particular those measures foreseen in Articles 64, 65 and 67 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, certain areas in the Dolnośląskie, Łódzkie, Lubuskie, Mazowieckie, Śląskie and Wielkopolskie regions in Poland, currently listed as restricted zones I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, should now be delisted from that Annex due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept and wild porcine animals in those restricted zones I for the past twelve months.

(25) On the basis of the information and justification provided by Slovakia, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever being applied by that Member State in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 for wild porcine animals in certain areas listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and in particular those measures foreseen in Articles 64, 65 and 67 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, an area in the Nitra district in Slovakia, currently listed as a restricted zone II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, should now be listed instead as restricted zone I in that Annex, due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept and wild porcine animals in this restricted zone II for the past twelve months.

(26) 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 Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia set out in Annexes I and II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should be amended.

(27) 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.

(28) 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 Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 take effect as soon as possible.

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