(1)

Infection with lumpy skin disease virus is an infectious, vector-borne disease affecting bovine animals. Its occurrence can have a severe impact on the concerned animal population and on the profitability of farming, also causing disturbance to movements of those animals and products thereof within the Union and exports to third countries. In the event of an outbreak of an infection with lumpy skin disease virus in bovine animals, there is a serious risk of the spread of that disease to other establishments keeping bovine animals, particularly due its main mode of transmission through vectors.

(2)

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 lumpy skin disease 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 at least a protection zone, a surveillance zone, and, if necessary, further restricted zones around or adjacent to the protection and surveillance zones.

(3)

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582 (4) lays down certain emergency measures related to outbreaks of infection with lumpy skin disease virus in Italy. Article 1 of Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582 provides for the establishment, in Italy, of restricted zones, comprising protection and surveillance zones, in accordance with Article 21 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, as well as the establishment of vaccination zones, in accordance with Part 1 of Annex IX to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/361 (5). In addition, Article 1 of Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582 provides that those protection and surveillance zones, as well as the vaccination zones, are to comprise at least the areas listed in Annexes I and II thereto, and the measures required to be applied in those zones are to be applied at least until the dates set out in those Annexes.

(4)

Since the last amendment of Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582 by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1145 (6), Italy has notified the Commission of three outbreaks of infection with lumpy skin disease virus in establishments keeping bovine animals, in the municipalities of San Vito and Muravera, in the region of Sardinia, which were reported between 20 May and 9 June 2026. In response to these outbreaks, Italy has established protection and surveillance zones in the region of Sardinia, where the disease control measures laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 are applied.

(5)

The size of the areas indicated as protection and surveillance zones in Annex I to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582, as amended by this Decision, as well as the duration of the measures to be applied therein, are based on the criteria laid down in Article 64(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, as well as on the rules laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687. The criteria applied for the choice of the size of the protection and surveillance zones, as well as of the duration of the measures to be applied therein, include the consideration of not only the epidemiological situation as regards infection with lumpy skin disease virus in the areas affected by that disease, but also of other epidemiological factors, including geographical parameters and the risk for the further spread of the disease in view of the presence of insect vectors. The chosen duration of the measures provided for in this Decision has also taken into account the international standards of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (7).

(6)

Article 2 of Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582 prohibits the movements of bovine animals from the protection and surveillance zones set out in Annex I to that Implementing Decision to destinations outside the external perimeter of those zones in Italy or outside that Member State until the dates listed in that Annex. In view of the currently existing restricted zone in the region of Sardinia, that prohibition should continue to apply in the protection and surveillance zones established in Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582, as amended by this Decision.

(7)

The vaccination zones established in Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582 remain necessary, and vaccination should continue in accordance with Italy’s official vaccination plan dated 1 July 2025, which was submitted pursuant to Article 6(4), point (a), of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/361.

(8)

The Annexes to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582 should, therefore, be amended accordingly.

(9)

In light of the epidemiological situation in Italy, the amendments to be made to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582 by this Decision should apply as soon as possible, to prevent the further spread of the disease within Italy, to other Member States or to third countries, and to avoid any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union or unjustified barriers to trade with third countries.

(10)

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