(1)

Infection with peste des petits ruminants virus is an infectious disease affecting caprine and ovine animals, and it 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 infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in caprine or ovine animals, there is a serious risk of the spread of that disease to other establishments of caprine or ovine animals.

(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 peste des petits ruminants virus, and for certain measures to be applied therein. 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.

(3)

Commission Implementing Decision 2024/3238 (4) was adopted on the basis of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and it lays down certain emergency measures relating to infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in Bulgaria. in response to an outbreak confirmed, on 25 November 2024, in the Velingrad municipality in the region of Pazardzhik. More specifically, Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238 provides that the protection, surveillance and further restricted zones to be established by that Member State, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, are to comprise at least the areas listed in the Annex to that Implementing Decision.

(4)

Since the last amendment of Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238, by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1921 (5) Bulgaria has notified the Commission, as regards the outbreak that was confirmed in Velingrad municipality in the region of Pazardzhik, of continued delays in the implementation of the disease control measures required to be applied in the event of official confirmation of an outbreak of a category A disease in kept animals in an establishment in accordance with Article 12 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.

(5)

In light of the current epidemiological situation as regards infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in Bulgaria, and the urgent need to effectively mitigate the risk of the spread of that disease, both within that Member State and to other Member States, it is crucial to amend the duration of the disease control measures applicable in the protection, surveillance and further restricted zones for Bulgaria listed in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238. These amendments address the significant risk posed by the continued circulation and potential spread of the disease beyond the currently affected areas as long as the disease control measures have not been completed.

(6)

The Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238 should, therefore, be amended accordingly.

(7)

The duration of the protection, surveillance and further restricted zones is based on the criteria set out in Article 64(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and on the rules laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687. In addition, the epidemiological situation regarding infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in the affected areas as well as the overall epidemiological situation of infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in Bulgaria, and the level of risk for the further spread of that disease within that Member State and in the Union is taken into account. Furthermore, the duration of the measures provided for by this Decision has been determined in line with international standards set out in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health.

(8)

In addition, in view of the continued delay in the application of the disease control measures required to be applied in the event of official confirmation of an outbreak of a category A disease in kept animals in an establishment, in accordance with Article 12 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, more than twelve months have elapsed since the confirmation of infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in the region of Pazardzhik, it is necessary to prolong the prohibition on movements of ovine and caprine animals from the entire territory of Bulgaria to other Member States, laid down in Article 2, point (d), of Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238. Accordingly, that prohibition should be prolonged until 30 June 2026.

(9)

Furthermore, taking into account the current epidemiological situation in the Union as regards infection with peste des petits ruminants virus, and the necessity for the disease control measures provided for in Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238 to be applied by Bulgaria, it is appropriate to prolong the period of application of that Implementing Decision until 30 June 2026.

(10)

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

1.

in Article 2, point (d), the date ‘31 December 2025’ is replaced by ‘30 June 2026’;

2.

in Article 4, the date ‘31 January 2026’ is replaced by ‘30 June 2026’;

3.

the Annex is replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Decision.