Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1319 of 27 June 2025 concerning certain interim emergency measures relating to sheep pox and goat pox in Romania (notified under document C(2025) 4423)

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. Sheep pox and goat pox is an infectious viral disease affecting caprine and ovine animals and can have a severe impact on the concerned animal populations 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 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.

3. Commission Delegated Regulation 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. 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, a further restricted zone around or adjacent to the protection and surveillance zones.

4. Romania has informed the Commission of the current epidemiological situation concerning sheep pox and goat pox on its territory following two outbreaks of that disease in caprine and ovine animals in Teleorman county, which were confirmed on 17 June 2025. In response to that outbreak, Romania has established a restricted zone, which comprises a protection zone and a surveillance zone, where the general disease control measures laid down in that Delegated Regulation are applied in order to prevent the further spread of that disease, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.

5. In order to prevent any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union and to avoid unjustified barriers to trade being imposed by third countries, it is necessary to rapidly identify, at Union level, the location and duration of this restricted zone for sheep pox and goat pox.

6. The size of the protection and surveillance zones, and duration of the measures to apply therein, are based on the criteria set out in Article 64(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, including the epidemiological situation as regards sheep pox and goat pox in the areas affected by that disease and the overall epidemiological situation of sheep pox and goat pox in the Member State concerned by that disease as well as the level of risk for the further spread of the disease. The duration of the measures also takes into account the international standards of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)⁽⁴⁾. In light of the current epidemiological situation there is an increased risk of disease spread due to the simultaneous occurrence of two outbreaks about seven kilometres apart.

7. The areas identified as protection and surveillance zones in Romania should therefore be set out in the Annex to this Decision accordingly, and the duration of that regionalisation should be fixed. The duration of that regionalisation takes into account the minimum periods for the measures to be applied in the protection and surveillance zones in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.

8. Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the spread of sheep pox and goat pox and the need to prevent the disease spreading from the affected establishment in Romania to other parts of that Member State or to other Member States, it is appropriate that the measures laid down in this Implementing Decision apply as soon as possible.

9. Accordingly, pending the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, the protection and surveillance zones in Romania should be established immediately and listed in the Annex to this Decision and the duration of that zoning fixed.

10. This Decision is to be reviewed at the next meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: