(1)

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 lays down disease-specific rules for the diseases listed in accordance with Article 5(1) thereof and lays down how those rules are to be applied to different categories of listed diseases. Regulation (EU) 2016/429 provides for the Member States to establish compulsory eradication programmes for the listed diseases referred to in Article 9(1), point (b), thereof, and for optional eradication programmes for listed diseases referred to in Article 9(1), point (c), thereof, and for the approval of such programmes by the Commission. That Regulation also provides for the approval or withdrawal by the Commission of the disease-free status of Member States or zones or compartments thereof with regard to certain listed diseases referred to in Article 9(1), points (b) and (c), thereof.

(2)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 (2) supplements Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and lays down the criteria for granting, maintaining, suspending and withdrawing disease-free status for Member States or zones or compartments thereof, and the requirements for the approval of compulsory or optional eradication programmes for Member States or zones or compartments thereof.

(3)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 (3) lays down implementing rules for the listed diseases referred to in Article 9(1), points (a), (b) and (c), of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of animals, as regards the disease-free and non-vaccination status of certain Member States or zones or compartments thereof, and the approval of eradication programmes for those listed diseases. More particularly, it lists in the Annexes thereto, the Member States or zones or compartments thereof with disease-free status and it also lists the existing approved eradication programmes. The changing epidemiological situation of certain diseases makes it necessary to list new disease-free Member States or zones thereof and to approve certain eradication programmes submitted to the Commission.

(4)

For infection with Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis, infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (Mycobacterium bovis, M. caprae and M. tuberculosis) (MTBC), enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), infection with bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), and infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) (BTV), several Member States have recently applied to the Commission to have disease-free status or eradication programmes approved for the whole or for part of their territory.

(5)

For infection with Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis in bovine animals, Italy has submitted to the Commission information demonstrating that the conditions for the recognition of disease-free status laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 are fulfilled in the Province of Vibo Valentia in the Region of Calabria and in the Province of Teramo in the Region of Abruzzo. Therefore, those zones should be listed as free from infection with Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis in bovine animals in Part I, Chapter 1, of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620.

(6)

For infection with Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis in ovine and caprine animals, Italy has submitted to the Commission information demonstrating that the conditions for the recognition of disease-free status laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 are fulfilled in the Province of Lecce in the Region of Puglia. Therefore, that zone should be listed as free from infection with Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis in ovine and caprine animals in Part I, Chapter 2, of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620.

(7)

For infection with MTBC, Italy has submitted to the Commission information demonstrating that the conditions for recognition of disease-free status from infection with MTBC laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 are fulfilled in the Provinces of Aquila, Chieti and Teramo in the Region of Abruzzo, in the Province of Latina in the Region of Lazio, in the Provinces of Bari and Taranto in the Region of Puglia and in the Province of Nuoro in the Region of Sardinia. Therefore, those zones should be listed as free from infection with MTBC in Part I of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620.

(8)

For infection with EBL, Croatia has submitted to the Commission an application to have an eradication programme approved for its territory. Following the assessment by the Commission, that application has been shown to comply with the criteria laid down in Chapter 2 of Part II of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 for approval of eradication programmes for EBL. Therefore, this Member State should be listed accordingly in Part II of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, as having an approved eradication programme for EBL.

(9)

For infection with BVD, Denmark and Germany have submitted to the Commission information demonstrating that the conditions for recognition of the disease-free status from BVD laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 are fulfilled on the whole territory of Denmark and in Landkreis Ravensburg, Erding, Weilheim-Schongau, Oberallgäu and Fulda in Germany, respectively. Therefore, that Member State and those zones should be listed accordingly in Part I of Annex VII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, as having disease-free status from BVD.

(10)

For infection with BVD, Ireland has submitted to the Commission an application to have an eradication programme approved for its territory. Following the assessment by the Commission, that application has been shown to comply with the criteria laid down in Part II, Chapter 2, of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 for approval of eradication programmes for BVD. Therefore, this Member State should be listed accordingly in Part II of Annex VII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, as having an approved eradication programme for BVD.

(11)

As regards infection with BTV, Germany has submitted to the Commission information demonstrating that the conditions for recognition of disease-free status from BTV are fulfilled for the whole territory of Baden-Württemberg, Hessen and Nordrhein-Westfalen. Following the assessment by the Commission, those applications have been shown to comply with the criteria laid down in Part II, Chapter 2, of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 for the granting of disease-free status for BTV. Therefore, those zones should be listed in Part I of Annex VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, as having disease-free status from BTV.

(12)

Annexes I, II, IV, VII and VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(13)

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