(1)

Commission Decision 2003/828/EC of 25 November 2003 on protection and surveillance zones in relation to bluetongue (3) was adopted in the light of the bluetongue situation prevailing in the affected regions of the Community. That Decision demarcates protection and surveillance zones (the restricted zones) corresponding to specific epidemiological situations and lays down the conditions for providing exemptions from the exit ban laid down in Directive 2000/75/EC for certain movements of animals, their sperm, ova and embryos from and through those zones.

(2)

In the interests of reducing the risks of the spread of bluetongue, movements bans within restricted zones should be possible for epidemiological l reasons.

(3)

Circulation of bluetongue virus has recently been detected in Andalusia and Estremadure in southern Spain.

(4)

In accordance with Directive 2000/75/EC, and taking into account the geographical, ecological and epizootiological situation of those regions in Spain affected by the recent outbreaks of bluetongue, the list of restricted zones set out in Annex I to Decision 2003/828/EC should be amended in order to add a new restricted zone comprising those regions. Decision 2003/828/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5)

In addition, even if no outbreak of bluetongue has been observed in Portugal, for epidemiological consistency and ecological continuity, certain regions in Portugal should also be added to the new restricted zone. Nevertheless, in the interests of preventing the spread of the disease, movements of animals from the Spanish part of the new restricted zone to Portugal should be prohibited.

(6)

Directive 90/425/EEC provides that certain interim protective measures may be adopted following the outbreak of an epizootic disease in the Community. Commission Decision 2004/697/EC of 14 October 2004 on certain protective measures against bluetongue in Spain (4) was adopted in response to the reports of outbreaks of that disease in certain provinces in Spain in 2004. In accordance with that Decision, those measures have been submitted to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health at its meeting of 19 October 2004. In the light of the recent developments, the protective measures taken by Decision 2004/697/EC should be repealed and be replaced by Decision 2003/828/EC, as amended by this Decision.

(7)

The measures provided for in this Decision should be reviewed at the Standing Committee of Food Chain and Animal Health foreseen on the 11 November.

(8)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

1.

in Article 1, the third subparagraph is replaced by the following:

‘This Decision shall not affect movements inside the restricted zones referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 2(1), except where otherwise provided.’;

2.

Article 2(1) is replaced by the following:

3.

in Annex I, the following restricted zone F is added:

‘Zone F