10.7.2014   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 201/31

(1)

Council Directive 2002/60/EC (4) lays down the minimum measures to be applied within the Union for the control of African swine fever, including the measures to be taken in the event of an outbreak of African swine fever, in particular in cases where African swine fever is suspected or confirmed in feral pigs.

(2)

Commission Implementing Decision 2014/178/EU (5) was adopted in response to the presence of African swine fever in certain Member States. That Decision demarcates and lists restricted areas in an Annex differentiated by the level of risk considering the epidemiological situation. It also lays down animal health rules on the movement, dispatch and marking of pigs and certain pig products from those affected Member States, in order to prevent the spread of that disease to other areas of the Union.

(3)

On 26 June 2014, cases of African swine fever in feral pigs, specifically in wild boar, were reported in Latvia due to the introduction of the African swine fever virus from neighbouring third countries where that disease is present. The introduction of the virus in two low-biosecurity small farms in the same area was also reported. Those outbreaks, taken together with the cases in wild boar adjacent to the external border of the Union, have to be considered in the assessment of the risk represented by the current epidemiological situation. In order to focus the control measures and to prevent disease spread as well as to prevent any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union and to avoid unjustified barriers to trade by third countries, the Union list of infected areas in Latvia is to be urgently established on the basis of the risk the disease represents for the Union and in collaboration with the Member State concerned.

(4)

It is therefore necessary to amend Implementing Decision 2014/178/EU to include the relevant territories of Latvia in Part I and Part II of the Annex thereto.

(5)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,