(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 (EU) 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 which have areas listed, in Annexes I and II thereto. That Implementing Regulation lays down rules, among other things, 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, 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) Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 was last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2629 (4) following changes in the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in disease free areas in Spain and Poland.

(6) Spain informed the Commission of the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever on its territory following the confirmation of an outbreak of that disease in wild porcine animals in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia on 28 November 2025, in an area that was previously free of that disease. The competent authority of that Member State established an infected zone 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 are applied, in order to prevent the further spread of that disease.

(7) 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 zone established by the competent authority of Spain in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, was listed in Part A of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594.

(8) Spain has informed the Commission of the current epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in wild porcine animals in the infected zone in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, confirming further outbreaks in this species in that zone, and 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.

(9) Taking account of the current epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in wild porcine animals in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia in Spain in accordance with Article 6(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, this area in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia in Spain should be delisted 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.

(10) In addition, Poland informed the Commission of the current epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever on its territory following the confirmation of an outbreak of that disease in wild porcine animals in the Zachodniopomorskie region on 4 February 2026. That outbreak occurred in an area that was previously free of that disease. The competent authority of that Member State established an infected zone 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 are applied, in order to prevent the further spread of that disease.

(11) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/350 (5) was adopted following information received from Poland concerning that outbreak in wild porcine animals in the Zachodniopomorskie region of that Member State. It provides, inter alia, that Poland is to apply amongst others the measures laid down in Articles 63 to 66 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687. Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/350 applies until 4 May 2026.

(12) 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 zone established by the competent authority of Poland in the Zachodniopomorskie region in Poland, should be listed in Part A of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 and Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/350 should be repealed.

(13) 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.

(14) Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 was last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/280 (6) following changes in the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in Latvia.

(15) Since the date of adoption of that Implementing Regulation amending Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, Germany, Hungary and Poland have notified the Commission of new outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals.

(16) In February 2026, an outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany 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 Germany, currently listed as a restricted zone I and affected by this 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) Also, in February 2026, an outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany in an area currently listed as restricted zone 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. This new outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal constitutes an increased level of risk, so the area of Germany currently listed as a restricted zone I 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 this outbreak.

(18) In addition, in February 2026, several outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals were 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, 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 area of Hungary 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.

(19) Furthermore, in February 2026, several outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals were observed in the Podkarpackie and Zachodniopomorskie regions 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.

(20) On the basis of the information and justification provided by Germany, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever for wild porcine animals in restricted zones I listed in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 being applied by that Member State in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, and in particular those laid down 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 parts of the States of Brandenburg and Saxony in Germany, 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) Accordingly, in order to take account of this recent development 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 Germany, Hungary, Spain and Poland set out in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should be amended.

(22) Also, the infected zone in the Zachodniopomorskie region in Poland should be listed in Part A of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594.

(23) As the situation as regards African swine fever is very dynamic in the Union, when demarcating this new restricted zone, account has also been taken of the epidemiological situation in areas surrounding this outbreak.

(24) Furthermore, the recent outbreaks in wild porcine animals in Hungary in close proximity to certain areas of Croatia currently not listed as restricted zones in Annexes I and II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, constitute an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. Accordingly, those areas of Croatia currently not listed as restricted zones in that Annex that are in close proximity to the areas of Hungary affected by those recent outbreaks, should, therefore, now be listed as restricted zones I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594.

(25) Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards 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.

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