(1)

Sheep pox and goat pox is an infectious viral 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. In the event of an outbreak of that disease in caprine and ovine animals, there is a serious risk that it may spread to other establishments keeping those animals.

(2)

Sheep pox and goat pox is defined as a category A disease in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 (2). In addition, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 (3) supplements the rules for the control of the listed diseases referred to in Article 9(1)(a), (b) and (c) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and defined as category A, B and C diseases in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882. 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 sheep pox and goat pox, and for certain disease control 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 and a surveillance zone, and if necessary further restricted zones around or adjacent to the protection and surveillance zones.

(3)

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1913 (4) was adopted within the framework of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and it lays down emergency measures for Spain in relation to outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox.

(4)

More particularly, Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1913 provides that the protection and surveillance zones to be established by the Member State following outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, are to comprise at least the areas listed in the Annex to that Implementing Decision.

(5)

Since the date of adoption of Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1913, Spain notified the Commission of seven further outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox in establishments where ovine and/or caprine animals were kept, located in the regions of Andalusia and Castilla – La Mancha. As a result the areas listed as protection and surveillance zones for Spain in the Annex to this Decision were amended by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2004 (5).

(6)

Since the date of adoption of Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2004, Spain notified the Commission of three additional outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox, in establishments where ovine and/or caprine animals were kept, located in the region of Andalusia. All these outbreaks are located within the restricted zones already established in the province of Granada, in line with Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1913, except for one which is located in the province of Almeria. This outbreak is the first ever outbreak in the province of Almeria and is located outside the already existing protection and surveillance zones.

(7)

In total, Spain has notified 19 outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox to date, distributed in two separate clusters, one located in the region of Andalusia and the other in the region of Castilla – La Mancha. In most cases outbreaks of the same cluster are epidemiologically connected and share one or more common features.

(8)

The competent authority of Spain has taken the necessary disease control measures required in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, including the establishment of protection and surveillance zones around these outbreaks.

(9)

Spain has been providing the Commission with regular updates on the epidemiological situation of sheep pox and goat pox. These updates include the disease control measures taken by Spain that the Commission reviews, to assess their effectiveness, taking into account the evolution of the disease.

(10)

In addition, Spain has informed the Commission and the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed that in the absence of risk mitigation measures specially aimed at sheep pox and goat pox in Annex VII to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, and awaiting an amendment to that Annex, it will apply the risk mitigation measures set out in that Annex for lumpy skin disease, to meat and milk from caprine and ovine animas originating from the protection and surveillance zones established in accordance with that Delegated Regulation. Spain has stated it needs to take these risk mitigating measures which take into account the similarity between sheep pox and goat pox virus and lumpy skin disease virus, both belonging to the family Poxviridae and genus Capripoxvirus.

(11)

Therefore, the areas listed as protection and surveillance zones for Spain in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1913, should be further adjusted, spatially and/or temporally, and a further restricted zone should be established, in order to prevent further spread of the disease in Spain and the rest of the Union. This adjustment should take into account the differential evolution of the disease in the regions of Andalusia and Castilla-La Mancha.

(12)

Furthermore, the areas listed as protection and surveillance zones, should be grouped and a common date, until which these are applicable, should be established, for each cluster, taking into account the date when the last preliminary cleaning and disinfection has been completed so that all outbreaks within the same area have been subjected to preliminary cleaning and disinfection, both in Andalusia and Castilla – La Mancha.

(13)

In addition to the protection and surveillance zones a further restricted zone, should be established, in line with article 21(1) point (c) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, in the region of Andalusia, where the evolution of the disease is less favourable and where Spain should apply certain measures, regarding the movements of sheep and goats outside this zone, with a view to prevent spread of the disease to the rest of its territory.

(14)

Taking into account the evolution of the epidemiological situation as regards sheep pox and goat pox in Spain, and in order to prevent any unnecessary disturbance to movements of consignments of ovine and caprine animals within the Union, and to avoid unjustified barriers to trade by third countries, it is necessary to continue to rapidly identify at Union level the restricted zones for sheep pox and goat pox. These restricted zones should comprise protection and surveillance zones, as well as a further restricted zone in that Member State. Accordingly, the areas identified as protection zones, surveillance zones, and further restricted zone, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, in Spain, should be listed in the Annex to this Decision and the duration of that regionalisation fixed. In addition, Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1913 should be repealed and replaced by this Decision.

(15)

Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the spread of sheep pox and goat pox, it is important that the measures laid down in this Decision apply as soon as possible.

(16)

In addition, taking into account the current epidemiological situation in the Union as regards sheep pox and goat pox, this Decision should apply until 31 March 2023.

(17)

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