(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.

(2)

In the event of an outbreak of sheep pox and goat pox in caprine or ovine animals, there is a serious risk of the spread of that disease to other establishments of caprine or ovine animals.

(3)

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 sheep pox and goat pox, 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 a protection zone, a surveillance zone, and if necessary further restricted zones around or adjacent to the protection and surveillance zones.

(4)

Spain has informed the Commission of the current sheep pox and goat pox situation on its territory, following an outbreak of that disease in caprine and ovine animals in the region of Andalusia confirmed on 19 September 2022, and, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, it has established a restricted zone, which comprises protection and surveillance zones, where the general disease control measures laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 are applied, in order to prevent the further spread of that disease.

(5)

In order to prevent any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union and to avoid unjustified barriers to trade by third countries, it is necessary to rapidly identify at Union level the restricted zone for sheep pox and goat pox, which comprises protection and surveillance zones, in Spain in collaboration with that Member State.

(6)

Accordingly, the areas identified as protection and surveillance zones in Spain should be set out in the Annex to this Decision and the duration of that regionalisation fixed.

(7)

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 Implementing Decision apply as soon as possible.

(8)

Accordingly, pending the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, the protection and surveillance zones in Spain should be established immediately and listed in the Annex to this Decision and the duration of that zoning fixed.

(9)

This Decision is to be reviewed at the next meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

(a)

a restricted zone which comprises a protection zone and a surveillance zone is established immediately by the competent authority of that Member State in accordance with Article 21(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 and under the conditions laid down in that Article;

(b)

the protection and surveillance zones referred to in paragraph (a) comprise at least the areas listed in the Annex to this Decision.