(1)

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 lays down disease-specific rules for the diseases listed in accordance with 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.

(2)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 (2) supplements Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and it 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.

(3)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 (3) 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 changing epidemiological situation of certain listed diseases in the Union, it is necessary to amend certain Annexes to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 to approve the disease-free status of certain Member States or zones thereof, to withdraw the approval of certain zones of Member States where disease outbreaks have been confirmed or where the conditions for maintaining the disease-free status are no longer met, and to approve the amendment to certain eradication programmes.

(4)

For infection with Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis, infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), several Member States have recently applied to the Commission to have disease-free status or amendments to eradication programmes approved for certain zones of their territory. Two Member States have also notified outbreaks of infection with bluetongue virus (serotype 1-24) (BTV). These developments need to be reflected in the relevant Annexes to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620.

(5)

For infection with Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis in kept ovine and caprine animals, Italy has submitted to the Commission information demonstrating that the conditions for the recognition of disease-free status laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 are fulfilled in the province of Matera in the Region of Basilicata. Following the assessment by the Commission, the application has been shown to comply with the criteria laid down in Part II, Chapter 4 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 for the approval of disease-free status. Therefore, that province should be listed as free from Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis in ovine and caprine animals in Part I, Chapter 2, of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620.

(6)

For infection with MTBC, Italy has submitted to the Commission information demonstrating that the conditions for the recognition of disease-free status laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 are fulfilled in the province of Sassari in the Region of Sardinia. Following the assessment by the Commission, the application has been shown to comply with the criteria laid down in Part II, Chapter 4, of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 for the approval of disease-free status. Therefore, that province should be added as free from infection with MTBC in Part I of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620.

(7)

For BVD, Germany has submitted to the Commission information demonstrating that the conditions for approval of disease-free status from BVD laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 are fulfilled for the region of Oldenburg in the state of Niedersachsen, and the region of Rendsburg-Eckernförde in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. Following the assessment by the Commission, these applications have been shown to comply with the criteria laid down in Part II, Chapter 4, of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 for the granting of disease-free status from BVD. Therefore, those regions should be added to Part I of Annex VII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, as having disease-free status from BVD.

(8)

As regards infection with BTV, Germany has notified the Commission of outbreaks of infection with BTV serotype 3 in the states of Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz, and Spain has notified the Commission of outbreaks of infection with BTV serotype 8 in the autonomous community of Catalonia. As these zones have a disease-free status and are listed in Part I of Annex VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, the approval of the disease-free status from infection with BTV should be withdrawn from the whole states of Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz, and from the autonomous community of Catalonia, and the entries for Germany and Spain in that list should be amended accordingly.

(9)

Spain has also informed the Commission that it has extended the territorial scope of the optional eradication programme for infection with BTV already approved for the zones listed in Part II of Annex VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, with the addition of a zone comprising the autonomous community of Catalonia. Therefore, that area should be added to the entry for Spain in Part II of Annex VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, and the proposed amendment to the optional eradication programme for infection with BTV approved.

(10)

Annexes I, II, VII and VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 should, therefore, be amended accordingly.

(11)

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