(1)

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 lays down rules for the prevention and control of animal diseases that are transmissible to animals or to humans. It applies from 20 April 2021, and it lays down transitional measures to cover the Union rules repealed and replaced by it. In that respect, Article 270(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 repeals, inter alia, Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2), which lays down animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals, and Article 277 of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 provides that Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 is to continue to apply until 21 April 2026 in respect of non–commercial movements of pet animals, in place of Part VI of Regulation (EU) 2016/429.

(2)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/772 (3) and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/878 (4) were adopted on the basis of Regulation (EU) No 576/2013. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/772 lays down rules for the application of preventive health measures for the control of Echinococcus multilocularis infestation in dogs intended for non-commercial movements into the territory or parts of the territory of certain Member States, including rules for the categorisation of Member States, in order to prevent infestation with Echinococcus multilocularis from spreading to parts of the Union that are officially recognised as free of that disease. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/878 lists Member States, or parts of the territory of Member States, complying with the rules for categorisation laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/772, concerning the application of preventive health measures for the control of Echinococcus multilocularis infestation in dogs.

(3)

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 lays down disease-specific rules for the prevention and control of the listed diseases, defined in Article 4, point (18), thereof, and referred to in 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.

(4)

Infestation with Echinococcus multilocularis is a listed disease, and in accordance with Article 9(1), point (c), of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, it is a disease of relevance to some Member States, and for which animal health measures are needed to prevent it from spreading to parts of the Union that are officially disease-free for that disease.

(5)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 (5) 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.

(6)

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 has recently been amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/134 (6) to provide detailed rules on surveillance, including diagnostic methods, and on disease-specific requirements for the recognition of disease-free status for Echinococcus multilocularis and for the maintenance of such disease-free status.

(7)

In addition, Article 84 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689, as amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/134, lays down measures for the maintenance of existing disease-free statuses with regard to listed animal diseases, including for infestation with Echinococcus multilocularis by reference to Member States and zones thereof with an approved disease-free status for that listed disease granted in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 576/2013. As certain Member States have been recognised officially free from infestation with Echinococcus multilocularis and have been listed accordingly in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/878, it should also be ensured that the Member States and zones thereof with an approved disease-free status before the date of application of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 are deemed to have an approved disease-free status in accordance with that Delegated Regulation.

(8)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 (7) 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 recent amendments to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/134 as regards rules concerning infestation with Echinococcus multilocularis, it is appropriate to insert a new Article 19a in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 concerning infestation with Echinococcus multilocularis, and a new Annex XIX listing the Member States or zones thereof with disease-free status from infestation with Echinococcus multilocularis in accordance with the conditions laid down in Annex V to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689.

(9)

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 should, therefore, be amended accordingly.

(10)

As the amendments made to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/134 apply from 22 April 2026, the amendments made to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 by this Regulation concerning infestation with Echinococcus multilocularis should also apply from that date.

(11)

In addition, as the lists set out in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/878 are being replaced by the lists set out in new Annex XIX to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, due to the amendments made by this Regulation, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/878 should be repealed.

(12)

Furthermore, Article 9(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 provides that the Member States or zones thereof with disease-free status from infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) (infection with BTV) are listed in Part I of Annex VIII to that Implementing Regulation. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/293 (8) amended the table set out in Part I of Annex VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, by listing several zones in Poland as zones without disease-free status with regard to infection with BTV. However, an error has now been detected as these zones still comply with the criteria to maintain the disease-free status with regard to infection with BTV. It is therefore necessary to correct accordingly the entry for Poland in Part I of Annex VIII. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 should, therefore, be corrected 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,

(1)

the following Article 19a is inserted:

(2)

a new Annex XIX is added in accordance with Part A of the Annex to this Regulation.