BAKGRUNN (fra kommisjonsforordningen)

(1) Regulation (EU) 2016/429 provides that consignments of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin must come from a third country or territory, or zone or compartment thereof, listed in accordance with Article 230(1) of that Regulation in order to enter the Union.

(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 (2) lays down animal health requirements that consignments of certain species and categories of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin, from third countries or territories, or zones thereof, or compartments thereof in the case of aquaculture animals, must comply with in order to enter the Union.

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 (3) sets out the lists of third countries, or territories, or zones thereof, from which the entry into the Union of the species and categories of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin falling within the scope of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 is permitted. Those lists and certain general rules concerning those lists are set out in Annexes I to XXII to that Implementing Regulation.

(4) More particularly, Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 set out the lists of third countries, or territories, or zones thereof authorised for the entry into the Union, respectively, of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds.

(5) The United States has notified the Commission of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry in the state of Florida, which was confirmed on 20 August 2024 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(6) Following that recent outbreak of HPAI, the veterinary authority of the United States established a restricted zone of at least 10 km around the affected establishment and implemented a stamping-out policy to control the presence of HPAI and limit the spread of that disease.

(7) The United States has submitted information to the Commission on the epidemiological situation on its territory and the measures taken to prevent the further spread of HPAI following this recent outbreak in the state of Florida.

(8) That information has been evaluated by the Commission. The Commission considers that, in view of the animal health situation in the restricted zone established by the veterinary authority of the United States, the entry into the Union of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds from that restricted zone in the state of Florida should be suspended, in order to protect the animal health status of the Union.

(9) Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 should, therefore, be amended to take account of the current epidemiological situation as regards HPAI in the United States.

(10) Taking into account the current epidemiological situation in the United States as regards HPAI, the amendments to be made to Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 by this Regulation should take effect as a matter of urgency.

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