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(1) thereof,
Whereas:
Sheep pox and goat pox is an infectious viral 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 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.
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. 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.
In order to address outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox in Greece, notified in August 2024, the Commission adopted Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207(4), which lays down certain emergency measures relating to that disease in Greece. In particular, it 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.
Since the last amendment of Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207, Greece has notified the Commission of nine new outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox, which were reported between 14 and 25 April 2025, in establishments where ovine and caprine animals were kept, in the regional units of Larisa, Aetolia-Acarnania, Phocis and Evros.
Therefore, the areas listed as protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones for Greece in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207, as well as the duration of the measures applicable therein, should be adjusted in order to prevent the further spread of the disease in Greece or to the rest of the Union. Accordingly, it is necessary to amend the list of restricted zones, and the duration of the measures to be applied therein, set out in the Annex to that Implementing Decision.
The size of the protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones, and the duration of the measures to be applied therein, is based on the criteria set out in Article 64(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, as well as the rules laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687. The criteria applied for the choice of the size of the protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones, as well as of the duration of the measures to be applied therein, include a consideration of not only the epidemiological situation as regards sheep pox and goat pox in the areas affected by that disease, but also of the overall epidemiological situation of sheep pox and goat pox in the entire territory of the Member State concerned by that disease, as well as the level of risk for the further spread of the disease. The chosen duration of the measures has also taken into account the international standards of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health(5). In the current epidemiological situation, there is a high risk of the further spread of the disease. The disease has been reconfirmed after more than six months in the regional unit of Larisa, outside the limits of the currently established restricted zones in Greece. In addition, outbreaks continue to be reported in the regional units of Aetolia-Acarnania, Phocis and Evros more than four months after the first confirmed outbreak in those areas suggesting that the disease continues to circulate despite the measures already put in place, and within the restricted zones established in accordance Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.
In addition, in view of the occurrence of the nine new outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox in Greece since the last amendment of Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207 it is also necessary to prolong the prohibition on the movements of sheep and goats from the entire territory of Greece, to a destination located outside Greece until 31 October 2025, in order to avoid the spread of the disease to the rest of the Union or to third countries, as well as any unjustified barriers to trade being imposed by third countries. Therefore, Article 3 of that Implementing Decision should be amended accordingly.
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207 is amended as follows:
in Article 3, point (e), the date ‘31 July 2025’ is replaced by ‘31 October 2025’;
the Annex is replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Decision.
This Decision is addressed to the Hellenic Republic.
Done at Brussels, 30 April 2025.
For the Commission
Olivér Várhelyi
Member of the Commission
A. Protection and surveillance zones established around the confirmed outbreaks
Regional unit and ADIS reference number of the outbreaks |
Areas established as protection and surveillance zones, part of the restricted zone in Greece referred to in Article 2 |
Date until applicable |
|---|---|---|
Regional unit of Phocis GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00058 GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00059 GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00060 GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00061 |
Protection zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.39722222, Long. 21.88472222 (2025/00058), Lat. 38.37944444, Long. 21.88916667 (2025/59), Lat. 38.39194444, Long. 21.88555556 (2025/60), Lat. 38.37861111, Long. 2 1.87972222 (2025/61) |
19.5.2025 |
Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.39722222, Long. 21.88472222 (2025/00058), Lat. 38.37944444, Long. 21.88916667 (2025/59), Lat. 38.39194444, Long. 21.88555556 (2025/60), Lat. 38.37861111, Long. 2 1.87972222 (2025/61) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone |
28.5.2025 |
|
Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.39722222, Long. 21.88472222 (2025/00058), Lat. 38.37944444, Long. 21.88916667 (2025/59), Lat. 38.39194444, Long. 21.88555556 (2025/60), Lat. 38.37861111, Long. 2 1.87972222 (2025/61) |
20.5.2025-28.5.2025 |
|
Regional unit of Evros GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00057 |
Protection zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Evros contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 40.478972, Long. 25.664547 (2025/57) |
16.5.2025 |
Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Evros contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 40.478972, Long. 25.664547 (2025/57) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone |
25.5.2025 |
|
Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Evros contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 40.478972, Long. 25.664547 (2025/57) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone |
17.5.2025-25.5.2025 |
|
Regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00045 GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00053 GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00055 GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00056 |
Protection zone: Those parts of the regional units of Aetolia-Acarnania and Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.391486, Long. 21.854056 (2025/00045), Lat. 38.39565278, Long. 21.85270278 (2025/53), Lat. 38.40945556, Long. 21.85508889 (2025/55), Lat. 38.42558056, Long. 21.84985 (2025/56) |
8.5.2025 |
Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional units of Aetolia-Acarnania and Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.391486, Long. 21.854056 (2025/00045), Lat. 38.39565278, Long. 21.85270278 (2025/53), Lat. 38.40945556, Long. 21.85508889 (2025/55), Lat. 38.42558056, Long. 21.84985 (2025/56) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone |
17.5.2025 |
|
Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional units of Aetolia-Acarnania and Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.391486, Long. 21.854056 (2025/00045), Lat. 38.39565278, Long. 21.85270278 (2025/53), Lat. 38.40945556, Long. 21.85508889 (2025/55) Lat. 38.42558056, Long. 21.84985 (2025/56) |
9.5.2025 – 17.5.2025 |
|
Regional unit of Rhodopi GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00048 GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00051 GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00052 |
Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional units of Rhodopi, Evros and Xanthi contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 41.114744, Long. 25.172189 (2025/00048), Lat. 40.961418, Long. 25.573621 (2025/00051), Lat. 41.047725, Long. 25.399029 (2025/00052) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone |
7.5.2025 |
Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional units of Rhodopi, Evros and Xanthi contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 41.114744, Long. 25.172189 (2025/00048), Lat. 40.961418, Long. 25.573621 (2025/00051), Lat. 41.047725, Long. 25.399029 (2025/00052) |
29.4.2025 – 7.5.2025 |
|
Regional unit of Larisa GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00054 |
Protection zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Larisa contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 39.9135346, Long. 22.61496985 (2025/00054) |
8.5.2025 |
Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Larisa and Pieria contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 39.9135346, Long. 22.61496985 (2025/00054) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone |
17.5.2025 |
|
Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Larisa and Pieria contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 39.9135346, Long. 22.61496985 (2025/00054) |
9.5.2025 – 17.5.2025 |
B. Further restricted zones
Further restricted zone |
Regional unit |
Areas included in the further restricted zones established in Greece as referred to in Article 2 |
Date until applicable |
|---|---|---|---|
Further restricted zone No 1 |
Regional unit of Evros |
The regional unit of Evros excluding the municipality of Samothrace, excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone. |
7.5.2025 |
The regional unit of Evros excluding the municipality of Samothrace |
8.5.2025 – 6.6.2025 |
||
Further restricted zone No 2 |
Regional unit of Rhodopi |
The regional unit of Rhodopi, excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone. |
7.5.2025 |
The regional unit of Rhodopi |
8.5.2025 – 6.6.2025 |
||
Further restricted zone No 3 |
Regional unit of Kavala |
The regional unit of Kavala including the municipality of Thasos |
6.6.2025 |
Regional unit of Drama |
The municipality of Doxato |
6.6.2025 |
|
Regional unit of Xanthi |
The regional unit of Xanthi excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone. |
7.5.2025 |
|
The regional unit of Xanthi |
8.5.2025 – 6.6.2025 |
||
Further restricted zone No 4 |
Regional unit of Chalkidiki |
The municipalities of Aristotelis, and Polygyros. |
14.4.2025 – 13.5.2025 |
Further restricted zone No 8 |
Regional unit of Magnesia |
The regional unit of Magnesia, excluding the Sporades islands |
28.4.2025 – 27.5.2025 |
Regional unit of Phthiotis |
The municipality of Stylida |
28.4.2025 – 27.5.2025 |
|
Further restricted zone No 9 |
Regional unit of Phocis |
The municipality of Dorida excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone |
28.5.2025 |
The municipality of Dorida |
29.5.2025 – 27.6.2025 |
||
Regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania |
The municipalities of Nafpaktia and Messolonghi, excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone |
17.5.2025 |
|
The municipalities of Nafpaktia Messolonghi |
18.5.2025 – 27.6.2025 |
||
Further restricted zone No 9A |
Regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania |
The municipalities of Agrinio Thermo, Agrinio, Xiromero, Thermo |
16.6.2025 |
Further restricted zone no 16 |
Municipality of Samothrace in the regional unit of Evros |
Municipality of Samothrace, excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone. |
25.5.2025 |
The municipality of Samothrace |
26.5.2025-24.6.2025 |
||
Further restricted zone no 18 |
Regional unit of Thessaloniki |
The municipalities of Volvi and Lagkadas. |
14.4.2025 – 13.5.2025 |
Further restricted zone no 19 |
Regional unit of Larisa |
The municipalities of Agia and Tempi excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone |
17.5.2025 |
Regional unit of Larisa |
The municipalities of Agia and Tempi |
18.5.2025 – 16.6.2025 |
|
Regional unit of Pieria |
The municipality of Dion-Olympos excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone |
17.5.2025 |
|
Regional unit of Pieria |
The municipality of Dion-Olympos |
18.5.2025 – 16.6.2025 |