(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 the 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) lays down 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 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)

Canada has notified the Commission of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry in the province of Quebec, which was confirmed on 3 January 2024 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(6)

The United States notified the Commission of 8 outbreaks of HPAI in poultry in the states of California (3), Kansas (3), Missouri (1), and Wisconsin (1), which were confirmed between 28 December 2023 and 10 January 2024 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(7)

Following these recent outbreaks of HPAI, the veterinary authorities of Canada and the United States established restricted zones of at least 10 km around the affected establishments and implemented a stamping-out policy to control the presence of HPAI and limit the spread of that disease.

(8)

Canada and the United States have submitted information to the Commission on the epidemiological situation on their territories and the measures taken to prevent the further spread of HPAI.

(9)

That information has been evaluated by the Commission. The Commision considers that, in view of the animal health situation in the areas under restrictions established by the veterinary authorities of Canada and the United States, the entry into the Union of consigments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds from those areas should be suspended, in order to protect the animal health status of the Union.

(10)

In addition, Canada and the United Kingdom have provided updated information to the Commission in relation to the epidemiological situation on their territories as regards HPAI that gave rise to the suspension of the entry of certain products into the Union, as set out in Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404.

(11)

Canada has submitted updated information on the epidemiological situation in relation to 10 outbreaks of HPAI in the provinces of Alberta (4), British Colombia (2), Manitoba (1), Quebec (1), and Saskatchewan (2), which were confirmed between 1 November 2023 and 5 December 2023 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(12)

The United Kingdom has submitted updated information on the epidemiological situation in relation to an outbreak of HPAI in poultry on the Orkney Islands, Scotland, which was confirmed on 22 November 2023.

(13)

Canada and the United Kingdom have also submitted information on the measures they have taken to prevent the further spread of HPAI. In particular, following the outbreaks of HPAI, they have implemented a stamping out policy in order to control and limit the spread of that disease, and also completed the requisite cleaning and disinfection following the implementation of the stamping out policy on the infected poultry establishment on their territories.

(14)

The Commission has evaluated the information submitted by Canada and the United Kingdom, and considers that they have provided appropriate guarantees that the animal health situation that gave rise to the suspension of the entry of consignments of certain products into the Union from the concerned zones in those third countries, as set out in Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404, no longer represents a threat to animal or public health within the Union, and that, consequently, the entry into the Union of those consignments from the concerned zones of Canada and the United Kingdom, from which entry into the Union had been suspended, should be reauthorised.

(15)

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 Canada and the United Kingdom.

(16)

Taking into account the current epidemiological situation in Canada and the United States as regards HPAI, and in order to avoid unnecessary disruption of trade with Canada and the United Kingdom, 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.

(17)

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