(1)

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

(2)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 (2) supplements Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and lays down the criteria for granting, maintaining, suspending, and withdrawing the disease-free status of Member States or zones or compartments thereof, and the requirements for the approval of eradication programmes of 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 approved disease-free status, and with existing approved compulsory or optional eradication programmes. Due to the changing epidemiological situation in the Union of certain listed diseases, Annexes I, VIII, XV, XI, XVI and XVII to that Implementing Regulation should be amended.

(4)

As regards Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis, the disease-free status in ovine and caprine animal populations in the province of Alessandria in the region of Piemonte in Italy was withdrawn by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, as amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2692 (4). Due to that amendment, Italy has now submitted to the Commission an amendment to the approved eradication programme for Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis in ovine and caprine animal populations including that province. Following an assessment by the Commission, the amended eradication programme was found to comply with the criteria laid down in Part II, of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 for the approval of eradication programmes as regards Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis. Therefore, that province should be listed in Chapter 2 of Part II of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 as a zone with an approved eradication programme for Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis in ovine and caprine animal populations. Therefore, the entry for Italy in Chapter 2 of Part II of that Annex should be amended accordingly.

(5)

As regards infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) (infection with BTV), Slovenia has notified the Commission of outbreaks of infection with BTV serotype 4 affecting the whole territory of that Member State. As the whole territory of Slovenia has disease-free status and is listed in Part I of Annex VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, the approval of the disease-free status from infection with BTV should be withdrawn from the whole territory of Slovenia. Therefore, the entry for Slovenia in Part I of that Annex should be deleted and that Annex should be amended accordingly.

(6)

In addition, Spain has informed the Commission that due to the presence of several serotypes of infection with BTV in the peninsular part of Spain, the conditions for maintaining the disease-free status in the zone of that part of Spain that currently has disease-free status and is listed in Part I of Annex VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 are no longer fulfilled. The approval of the disease-free status from infection with BTV should be withdrawn from the zone in the peninsular part of Spain. Therefore, the entry for Spain in Part I of that Annex should be amended accordingly.

(7)

Moreover, Spain has also informed the Commission that it has reduced the territorial scope of the optional eradication programme for infection with BTV that has already been approved for the zones listed in Part II of Annex VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, maintaining it only in the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. Therefore, the other zones that are currently listed in the entry for Spain in Part II of Annex VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 should be deleted, and the proposed amendment to the optional eradication programme for infection with BTV approved. Therefore, the entry for Spain in Part II of that Annex should be amended accordingly.

(8)

As regards infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the Netherlands has informed the Commission that Cobb Europe B.V. with approval number 2951 cannot be considered as a compartment free from HPAI, since the conditions for maintaining disease-free status are no longer met. Therefore, that compartment should no longer be listed in Annex XI to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 as free from HPAI, and the disease-free status from HPAI should be withdrawn. Therefore, the entry for the Netherlands in that Annex should be amended accordingly.

(9)

As regards infection with Marteilia refringens, infection with Bonamia exitiosa, and infection with Bonamia ostreae, Sweden 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 for the whole territory of that Member State. Following the assessment by the Commission, the application has been shown to comply with the criteria laid down in Part II, Chapter 4 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 for the approval of disease-free status. Therefore, the whole territory of Sweden should be listed as free from infection with Marteilia refringens, free from infection with Bonamia exitiosa, and free from infection with Bonamia ostreae in Annexes XV, XVI and XVII, respectively, to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620. Those Annexes should, therefore, be amended accordingly.

(10)

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