COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2025/2069
of 9 October 2025
amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 concerning certain emergency measures relating to infection with lumpy skin disease virus in France
(notified under document number C(2025) 6881)
(Only the French text is authentic)
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (1), and in particular Article 259(1) thereof,
Whereas:
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(1)
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Infection with lumpy skin disease virus is an infectious, vector-borne disease affecting bovine animals. Its occurrence can have a severe impact on the concerned animal population and on the profitability of farming, also causing disturbance to movements of those animals and products thereof within the Union and exports to third countries.
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(2)
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In the event of an outbreak of infection lumpy skin disease virus in bovine animals, there is a serious risk of the spread of that disease to other establishments of bovine animals particularly due its main mode of transmission through vectors.
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(3)
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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 lumpy skin disease 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 at least a protection zone, a surveillance zone, and, if necessary, further restricted zones around or adjacent to the protection and surveillance zones.
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(4)
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Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 (4) lays down certain emergency measures related to outbreaks of infection with lumpy skin disease virus in France. More particularly, Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 provides for the establishment, in France, of a restricted zone, comprising of protection and surveillance zones, in accordance with Article 21 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, as well as a vaccination zone in accordance with Part 1 of Annex IX to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/361 (5). In addition, Article 1 of Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 provides that those protection and surveillance zones, as well as the vaccination zone, are to comprise at least the areas listed in the Annexes thereto, and the measures required to be applied in those zones are to be applied at least until the dates set out in those Annexes.
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(5)
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Since the amendment of Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 by Commission Implementing Decisions (EU) 2025/1762 (6) and (EU) 2025/1931 (7), France has notified the Commission of an additional confirmed outbreak of lumpy skin disease in bovine animal establishment in the Rhône department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region on 18 September 2025. That new outbreak is situated more than 100 kilometres west of the nearest previously confirmed outbreaks. In response to that new outbreak, France has established protection and surveillance zones in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, specifically the departments of Ain, Rhône, Isère and Loire, where the disease control measures laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 are applied.
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(6)
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Taking into account those recent outbreaks in France, the areas indicated as protection and surveillance zones in Annex I to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 should, therefore, be updated by this Decision, and the duration of the measures to be applied in those protection and surveillance zones fixed.
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(7)
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The size of the areas indicated as protection and surveillance zones in Annex I to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708, as amended by this Decision, as well as the duration of the measures to be applied therein, are based on the criteria laid down in Article 64(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 as well as on the rules laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687. The criteria applied for the choice of the size of the protection and surveillance zones, as well as of the duration of the measures to be applied therein, include the consideration of not only the epidemiological situation as regards infection with lumpy skin disease virus in the areas affected by that disease, but also of other epidemiological factors, including geographical parameters and the risk for the further spread of the disease in view of the presence of insect vectors. The chosen duration of the measures provided for in this Decision has also taken into account the international standards of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (8).
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(8)
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Article 2 of Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 prohibits the movements of bovine animals from the protection and surveillance zones set out in Annex I to that Implementing Decision to destinations outside the external perimeter of those zones in France or outside that Member State until the dates listed in that Annex. In view of the continuing outbreaks of infection with lumpy skin disease virus in France, it is necessary to maintain that prohibition in the newly established restricted zones around the most recent confirmed outbreak.
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(9)
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Annex I to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 should, therefore, be amended accordingly.
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(10)
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In light of the outbreak of lumpy skin disease in the Rhône department, the first occurrence of the disease in that region, France decided to update its vaccination plan and implement emergency protective vaccination within the protection and surveillance zones established around the outbreak. Consequently, on 27 September 2025, France submitted a progress report to the Commission on the implementation of the official vaccination plan against lumpy skin disease in the Rhône department, in accordance with Article 11 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/361. The report provided information on the vaccination to be carried out in the restricted zone established in the departments of Ain, Rhône, Isère and Loire.
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(11)
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In order to ensure coordinated disease control and to safeguard trade within the Union and with third countries, it is necessary to also adjust the vaccination zone for infection with lumpy skin disease set out in Annex II to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708, at Union level.
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(12)
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The type, size and duration of vaccination zones I and II set out in Parts B and A of Annex II to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 are based on the epidemiological situation and the progress of the vaccination campaigns in France, particularly taking into account the evolving level of vaccine coverage achieved, the Member State’s official vaccination plan, and the progress reports submitted in accordance with Article 11 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/361, as well as on the requirements laid down in Annex IX to that Delegated Regulation. The dates during which the vaccination zones are to apply are therefore to be set out, for each area concerned, accordingly in Annex II to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708.
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(13)
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Annex II to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 should, therefore, be amended accordingly.
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(14)
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In light of the current epidemiological situation in France, the amendments to be made to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 by this Decision should apply as soon as possible in order to prevent the further spread of the disease within France, to other Member States, or to third countries, and to avoid any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union or any unjustified barriers to trade with third countries.
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(15)
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The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
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HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The Annexes to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 are replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the French Republic.
Done at Brussels, 9 October 2025.
For the Commission
Olivér VÁRHELYI
Member of the Commission
(1)
OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/429/oj.
(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 of 17 December 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and the Council, as regards rules for the prevention and control of certain listed diseases (OJ L 174, 3.6.2020, p. 64, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2020/687/oj).
(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 of 3 December 2018 on the application of certain disease prevention and control rules to categories of listed diseases and establishing a list of species and groups of species posing a considerable risk for the spread of those listed diseases (OJ L 308, 4.12.2018, p. 21, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2018/1882/oj).
(4) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 of 29 July 2025 concerning certain emergency measures relating to infection with lumpy skin disease virus in France and repealing Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1336 (OJ L, 2025/1708, 5.8.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/1708/oj).
(5) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/361 of 28 November 2022 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and the Council as regards rules for the use of certain veterinary medicinal products for the purpose of prevention and control of certain listed diseases (OJ L 52, 20.2.2023, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2023/361/oj).
(6) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1762 of 25 August 2025 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 concerning certain emergency measures relating to infection with lumpy skin disease virus in France (OJ L, 2025/1762, 28.8.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/1762/oj).
(7) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1931 of 22 September 2025 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1708 concerning certain emergency measures relating to infection with lumpy skin disease virus in France (OJ L, 2025/1931, 22.9.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/1931/oj).
(8)
https://www.woah.org/en/what-we-do/standards/codes-and-manuals/terrestrial-code-online-access/.
In force