(1)

Directive 91/68/EEC establishes the animal health conditions governing trade in the Union in ovine and caprine animals. It lays down the conditions whereby Member States or regions thereof may be recognised as being officially free of brucellosis (Brucella melitensis).

(2)

Commission Decision 93/52/EEC (4) provides that the regions of the Member States referred to in Annex II thereto are recognised as officially free of brucellosis (B. melitensis) in accordance with the conditions laid down in Directive 91/68/EEC.

(3)

Spain has submitted to the Commission documentation demonstrating that the Autonomous Communities of La Rioja and of Valencia, and the Provinces of Albacete, Cuenca and Guadalajara of the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha, comply with the conditions laid down in Directive 91/68/EEC in order to be recognised as officially free of brucellosis (B. melitensis) as regards ovine and caprine herds.

(4)

Following the evaluation of the documentation submitted by Spain, the Autonomous Communities of La Rioja and of Valencia, and the Provinces of Albacete, Cuenca and Guadalajara of the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha, should be recognised as being officially free of brucellosis (B. melitensis) as regards ovine and caprine herds.

(5)

The entry for Spain in Annex II to Decision 93/52/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6)

Directive 64/432/EEC applies to trade within the Union in bovine animals and swine. It lays down the conditions whereby a Member State or a region thereof may be declared officially brucellosis-free or officially enzootic-bovine-leucosis-free as regards bovine herds.

(7)

Commission Decision 2003/467/EC (5) provides that the Member States and regions thereof which are listed respectively in Chapters 1 and 2 of Annex II thereto are declared officially brucellosis-free as regards bovine herds. Decision 2003/467/EC also provides that the Member States and regions thereof which are listed respectively in Chapters 1 and 2 of Annex III thereto are declared officially enzootic-bovine-leucosis-free as regards bovine herds.

(8)

Cyprus has submitted to the Commission documentation demonstrating that its whole territory complies with the conditions laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC in order to be declared officially brucellosis-free as regards bovine herds.

(9)

Following the evaluation of the documentation submitted by Cyprus, that Member State should be recognised as an officially brucellosis-free Member State as regards bovine herds and listed accordingly in Chapter 1 of Annex II to Decision 2003/467/EC.

(10)

Spain has submitted to the Commission documentation demonstrating that the Autonomous Communities of Cataluña, Castilla-La Mancha, and Galicia, and the Province of Zamora of the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León, comply with the conditions laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC in order to be declared officially brucellosis-free as regards bovine herds.

(11)

Following the evaluation of the documentation submitted by Spain, the Autonomous Communities of Cataluña, Castilla-La Mancha, and Galicia, and the Province of Zamora of the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León should be declared officially brucellosis-free regions as regards bovine herds and listed accordingly in Chapter 2 of Annex II to Decision 2003/467/EC.

(12)

Certain regions of Italy are currently listed in Chapter 2 of Annex III to Decision 2003/467/EC as officially enzootic-bovine-leucosis-free regions. Italy has now submitted to the Commission documentation demonstrating that its whole territory complies with the conditions laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC in order to be declared officially enzootic-bovine-leucosis-free as regards bovine herds.

(13)

Following the evaluation of the documentation submitted by Italy, that Member State should be declared an officially enzootic-bovine-leucosis-free Member State as regards bovine herds and listed accordingly in Chapter 1 of Annex III to Decision 2003/467/EC, and the references to certain regions of that Member State in Chapter 2 of that Annex should be deleted.

(14)

Annexes II and III to Decision 2003/467/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(15)

Commission Decision 2005/779/EC (6) was adopted following outbreaks of swine vesicular disease in Italy. It lays down animal health rules as regards swine vesicular disease for the regions of that Member State that are recognised as free from swine vesicular disease and that are listed in Annex I to that Decision, and also for the regions of that Member State that are not recognised as free from that disease and that are listed in Annex II to that Decision.

(16)

A programme for the eradication and monitoring of swine vesicular disease has been implemented in Italy for several years, with a view to achieving swine vesicular disease-free status for all regions of that Member State. Italy has submitted new information to the Commission as regards the swine vesicular disease-free status of the region of Campania, demonstrating that the disease has been eradicated from that region.

(17)

Following the examination of the information submitted by Italy, the region of Campania should be recognised as free from swine vesicular disease and that region should be deleted from the list in Annex II to Decision 2005/779/EC and listed instead in Annex I to that Decision.

(18)

Annexes I and II to Decision 2005/779/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(19)

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