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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’)note, and in particular Article 259(1) thereof,Whereas:
(1)Infection with peste des petits ruminants virus is an infectious disease affecting caprine and ovine 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 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.
(3)Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687note 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) 2018/1882note. 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.
(4)Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238note 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 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.
(5)Since the last amendment of Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238, by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/784note, 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.
(6)In light of the current epidemiological situation, and the urgent need to effectively mitigate the risk of the spread of infection with peste des petits ruminants virus, both within Bulgaria and to other Member States, it is crucial to adjust the duration of the disease control measures in the protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones for Bulgaria listed in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238. These adjustments 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.
(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 (WOAH).
(8)In addition, in view of the continued delay in the application of the disease control measures required to be applied in the case of such an outbreak, more than nine 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, taking into account that delay in the application of the disease control measures, it is appropriate to prolong that prohibition until 31 December 2025.
(9)Furthermore, taking into account the current epidemiological situation in the Union as regards infection with peste des petits ruminants virus and the period during which the measures provided for by Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238 need to apply, the application of that Implementing Decision should be prolonged until 31 January 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,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1Amendments to Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238#
Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/3238 is amended as follows:
(1)in Article 2, point (d), the date ‘30 September 2025’ is replaced by ‘31 December 2025’;
(2)in Article 4, the date ‘31 December 2025’ is replaced by ’31 January 2026’;
(3)the Annex is replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Decision.
A. Protection and surveillance zones established around the confirmed outbreak
| Regional unit and ADIS reference number of the outbreak | Areas established as protection and surveillance zones, part of the restricted zone in Bulgaria referred to in Article 1 | Date until applicable |
|---|---|---|
| Pazardzhik regionBG-PPR-2024-00001 | Protection zone:Those parts of Pazardzhik region, contained within a circle of a radius of 5 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 42.0156, Long. 23.9989 (2024/1) | 22.11.2025 |
| Surveillance zone:Those parts of Pazardzhik region, contained within a circle of a radius of 20 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 42.0156, Long. 23.9989 (2024/1) excluding the areas contained in the protection zone | 1.12.2025 | |
| Surveillance zone:Those parts of Pazardzhik region, contained within a circle of a radius of 20 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 42.0156, Long. 23.9989 (2024/1) | 23.11.2025 – 1.12.2025 |
B. Further restricted zones
| Regional unit | Areas included in the further restricted zone established in Bulgaria as referred to in Article 1 | Date until applicable |
|---|---|---|
| Region of Pazardzhik | Entire territory of Pazardzhik region | 31.12.2025 |
| Region of Blagoevgrad | Municipalities Razlog, Satovcha, Garmen, Bansko, Belitsa, Yakoruda | 31.12.2025 |
| Region of Smolyan | Dospat Municipality | 31.12.2025 |
| Region of Sofia oblast | Municipalities of Kostenets and Dolna Banya | 31.12.2025 |
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