Date: 2023-07-14Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/1458 of 11 July 2023 concerning certain interim emergency measures relating to African swine fever in Greece (notified under document C(2023) 4794) (Only the Greek text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance)
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Executive Summary:
Commission Implementing Decision EU 2023/1458 establishes interim emergency measures for African swine fever in Greece following an outbreak in West Macedonia. It defines a restricted zone comprising protection and surveillance zones to prevent the disease's spread. Greece must immediately establish these zones as defined in the annex, and the decision is applicable until October 5, 2023.
Key Points / Main Content:
Restricted Zone Establishment:
* Greece must immediately establish a restricted zone with protection and surveillance zones according to Article 211 of Delegated Regulation EU 2020/687.
* The protection and surveillance zones must include at least the areas listed in the Annex of this Decision.
Geographical Specifications:
* Protection zone: The municipal department of Skopos in the regional unit of Florina.
* Surveillance zone: Specified municipal departments within the regional units of Florina and Pella.
Temporal Scope:
* This Decision applies until October 5, 2023.
Impact Analysis:
Greece:
* Impact: Obligated to establish and maintain restricted zones, implement disease control measures, and ensure zones align with the Decision's Annex.
* Action Required: Immediately establish the specified restricted zones and apply relevant disease control measures.
Porcine Animal Farmers/Keepers in Greece:
* Impact: Restrictions on animal movement and potential impacts on farming profitability within the defined zones.
* Action Required: Comply with the restrictions and disease control measures implemented within the protection and surveillance zones.
European Union Member States:
* Impact: Awareness of the restricted zone in Greece to prevent unnecessary trade disturbances.
* Action Required: Take note of the restrictions to avoid trade barriers.
Third Countries:
* Impact: Awareness of the restricted zone in Greece to avoid unjustified trade barriers.
* Action Required: Take note of the restrictions to avoid trade barriers.
Key Entities Referenced
European Union: A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.
African swine fever: An infectious viral disease affecting kept and wild porcine animals.
Greece: A country in southeastern Europe, specifically mentioned as having confirmed cases of African swine fever.
Commission Delegated Regulation EU 2020/687: A European Union regulation supplementing Regulation EU 2016/429 regarding rules for the prevention and control of certain listed diseases.
Commission Implementing Regulation EU 2023/594: A European Union regulation laying down special disease control measures regarding African swine fever.
Region of West Macedonia: A region in Greece where an outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals was confirmed.
Florina: A regional unit in Greece, where a restricted zone is established due to African swine fever.
Pella: A regional unit in Greece, where a surveillance zone is established due to African swine fever.
L 179/116 EN Official Journal of the European Union 14.7.2023
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2023/1458
of 11 July 2023
concerning certain interim emergency measures relating to African swine fever in Greece
(notified under document C(2023) 4794)
(Only the Greek text is authentic)
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on
transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health
Law’)(1), and in particular Article 259(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) African swine fever is an infectious viral disease affecting kept and wild porcine 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 outbreaks of African swine fever in kept porcine animals, there is a serious risk of the spread of that
disease to other establishments of kept porcine 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 African swine fever, 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) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594(4) lays down special disease control measures regarding
African swine fever. In particular, Article 3, point (a), of that Implementing Regulation provides for the
establishment of a restricted zone in the case of an outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals, in
accordance with Article 21(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.
(5) Greece has informed the Commission of the current African swine fever situation on its territory, following the
confirmation of one outbreak of that disease in kept porcine animals in the Region of West Macedonia on 5 July
2023and, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594,
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.
(1) OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1.
(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 of 17 December 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European
Parliament and the Council, as regards rules for the prevention and control of certain listed diseases (OJ L 174, 3.6.2020, p. 64).
(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 of 3 December 2018 on the application of certain disease prevention and
control rules to categories of listed diseases and establishing a list of species and groups of species posing a considerable risk for the
spread of those listed diseases (OJ L 308, 4.12.2018, p. 21).
(4) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 of 16 March 2023 laying down special disease control measures for African
swine fever and repealing Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 (OJ L 79, 17.3.2023, p. 65).14.7.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 179/117
(6) 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 identify at Union level the restricted zone, which comprises protection and
surveillance zones for African swine fever in Greece in collaboration with that Member State.
(7) Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the spread of African swine fever, 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 infected zone
in Greece 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,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Greece shall ensure that:
(a) a restricted zone which comprises a protection zone and a surveillance zone is established immediately by Greece in
accordance with Article 21(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, subject to the conditions laid down in that
Article;
(b) the protection and surveillance zones referred to in point (a) comprise at least the areas listed in the Annex to this
Decision.
Article 2
This Decision shall apply until 5 October 2023.
Article 3
This Decision is addressed to the Hellenic Republic.
Done at Brussels, 11 July 2023.
For the Commission
Stella KYRIAKIDES
Member of the CommissionL 179/118 EN Official Journal of the European Union 14.7.2023
ANNEX
Areas established as the restricted zone in Greece as referred to in Article 1 Date until applicable
Protection zone:
1. In the regional unit of Florina 5 October 2023
The municipal department of Skopos (Florina municipality)
Surveillance zone:
1. In the regional unit of Florina
The municipal departments of Achlada, Meliti, Lofi, Vevi, Sitaria, Palestra, Neochoraki, Tripotamos,
Itea, Papagiannis, Marina, Mesochori and Mesokampos (Florina municipality)
The municipal departments of Kelli, Klidi, Petres, Agios Panteleimon and Faraggi (Amintaio
5 October 2023
municipality)
2. In the regional unit of Pella
The municipal departments of Agios Athanasios, Panagitsa, Arnissa and Perea (Edessa
municipality)
The municipal departments of Orma and Sarakini (Almopia municipality)