(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)

Commission Implementing Decision 2025/638 (4) was adopted on the basis of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and lays down certain emergency measures relating to infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in Romania in response to the outbreak confirmed on 5 March 2025 in Bihor county. More particularly, Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/638 provides that the protection, surveillance and further restricted zones to be established by that Member State, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, following the outbreak of that disease are to comprise at least the areas listed in the Annex to that Implementing Decision.

(5)

In addition, Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/638 establishes the areas in the territory of Romania where further measures, such as those applicable to further restricted zones, as provided for in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, must be applied, and where movements of ovine and caprine animals outside the external perimeters of those areas are to be prohibited, for a certain period of time, after the expiry of the dates for the measures foreseen in the protection and surveillance zones.

(6)

Since the date of adoption of Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/638, Romania informed the Commission that disease surveillance in Arad county has shown no evidence of disease circulation in that area, whereas the epidemiological situation in the rest of the country remains uncertain and available disease surveillance data are not yet sufficient to evaluate the epidemiological situation regarding infection with peste des petits ruminants virus.

(7)

In view of the favourable epidemiological situation in Arad county, and in order to prevent any additional burden due to unnecessary restrictions of movements of ovine and caprine animals, from that area to the rest of Romania, it is necessary to remove this county from the areas in Romania where further measures, such as those applicable to further restricted zones, as provided for in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, should apply, and from where movements of ovine and caprine animals outside the external perimeters of those areas should be prohibited, for a certain period of time, after the expiry of the dates for the measures which apply in all the protection and surveillance zones, as listed in Annex II to Implementing Decision 2025/638.

(8)

In addition, in view of the lack of sufficient surveillance data, the continued uncertainty and the estimated time needed to assess the epidemiological situation in the rest of Romania, it is necessary to prolong the prohibition of movements of ovine and caprine animals from the entire territory of Romania to other Member States, until 30 September 2025.

(9)

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 Romania 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.

(10)

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

1.

in Article 1, point(c), the date ‘9 June 2025’ is replaced by ‘30 September 2025’;

2.

Annex II is replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Decision.