(1)

Infection with peste des petits ruminants virus is an infectious disease affecting caprine and ovine animals and 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 to third countries.

(2)

In the event of an outbreak of infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in caprine or ovine animals, there is a serious risk of the spread of that disease to other establishments of caprine or ovine animals.

(3)

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 (3). In particular, Articles 21 and 22 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 provide for the establishment of a restricted zone in the event of an outbreak of a category A disease, including infection with peste des petits ruminants virus, and for certain measures to be applied therein. In addition, Article 21(1) of that Delegated Regulation provides that the restricted zone is to comprise a protection zone, a surveillance zone, and, if necessary, further restricted zones around or adjacent to the protection and surveillance zones.

(4)

Bulgaria has informed the Commission of the current situation in its territory as regards infection with peste des petits ruminants virus. An outbreak of that disease was confirmed on 25 November 2024 in kept caprine and ovine animals in Velingrad municipality, in the region of Pazardzhik. In response and in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, Bulgaria has established a restricted zone, which comprises protection, surveillance and a further restricted zone, where the disease control measures laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 are being applied

(5)

In order to control the spread of the disease, to prevent any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union and to avoid unjustified barriers to trade by third countries, it is necessary to rapidly identify at Union level the restricted zone for infection with peste des petits ruminants virus, which comprises the protection and surveillance zones, as well as a further restricted zone, in Bulgaria.

(6)

The size and the duration of the protection, surveillance and further restricted zones, as well as the measures to be applied within those zones should be based on the criteria set out in Article 64(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and the rules laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, including the epidemiological situation as regards infection with peste de petits ruminants virus in the areas affected by that disease and the overall epidemiological situation of infection with peste de petits ruminants virus in the Member State concerned as well as the level of risk for the further spread of that disease. The duration of the measures should also take into account the international standards of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

(7)

Due to the severity and urgency of the situation and in order to immediately limit the spread of the disease after this first occurrence in that Member State, it is also necessary to ensure that animal movements from the protection, surveillance and further restricted zones to destinations outside the external perimeter of the further restricted zone do not take place, and to exclude possible derogations from the prohibition to move animals as foreseen in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, for a certain period of time, in order to prevent long distance spread of the disease.

(8)

Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the spread of infection with peste des petits ruminants virus and the need to prevent the disease from spreading from the affected establishments in Bulgaria to other parts of that Member State or to other Member States, the measures laid down in this Implementing Decision should apply as soon as possible.

(9)

Accordingly, pending the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, the protection, surveillance and further restricted zones in Bulgaria should be established immediately and listed in the Annex to this Decision and the duration of that zoning fixed and animal movements should be restricted.

(10)

Taking into account the current epidemiological situation in the Union as regards peste de petits ruminants, this Decision should apply until 28 February 2025.

(11)

This Decision is to be reviewed at the next meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

(a)

a restricted zone, which comprises protection and surveillance zones as well as a further restricted zone, is established immediately by the competent authority of that Member State in accordance with Article 21 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, and under the conditions laid down in that Article;

(b)

the protection, surveillance and further restricted zones referred to in point (a) comprise at least the areas listed in the Annex to this Decision;

(c)

the measures required to be applied in the protection, surveillance and further restricted zones, are applied at least until the dates listed in the Annex to this Decision.