23.3.2016   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 76/29

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 798/2008 (3) lays down veterinary certification requirements for imports into and transit, including storage during transit, through the Union of poultry and poultry products (‘the commodities’). It provides that the commodities may only be imported into and transit through the Union from the third countries, territories, zones or compartments listed in columns 1 and 3 of the table in Part 1 of Annex I thereto.

(2)

Regulation (EC) No 798/2008 also lays down the conditions for a third country, territory, zone or compartment to be considered as free from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

(3)

The United States is listed in Part 1 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 798/2008 as a third country from which imports into and transit through the Union of the commodities is authorised from the whole of its territory.

(4)

An Agreement between the Union and the United States (4) provides for a swift mutual recognition of regionalisation measures in the event of outbreaks of a disease in the Union or in the United States (‘the Agreement’).

(5)

On 15 January 2016, the United States confirmed the presence of HPAI of subtype H7N8 in one holding in the State of Indiana and it may therefore no longer be considered as free from that disease. The veterinary authorities of the United States immediately suspended issuing veterinary certificates for consignments of commodities intended for export to the Union from the State of Indiana. It has also implemented a stamping-out policy in order to control HPAI and limit its spread.

(6)

Following the outbreak, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/148 (5) amending Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 798/2008 as regards the entry for the United States of America in the list of third countries, territories, zones or compartments from which certain poultry commodities may be imported into or transit through the Union in relation to highly pathogenic avian influenza of the subtype H7N8 was adopted in order to restrict the introduction into the Union of commodities from the State of Indiana.

(7)

The United States has submitted updated information on the epidemiological situation on its territory and the measures it has taken to prevent the further spread of HPAI which has now been evaluated by the Commission. On the basis of that evaluation, as well as the commitments laid down in the Agreement and the guarantees provided by the United States, it is appropriate to modify the prohibition on the introduction into the Union of certain commodities to cover only certain parts of the State of Indiana, which the veterinary authorities of the United States have placed under restrictions due to previous outbreaks.

(8)

The United States have further reported the completion of cleaning and disinfection measures during January 2016 following stamping-out of poultry on the holding where the HPAI outbreak has occurred and other holdings that were epidemiologically linked to that holding. It is appropriate to indicate the date when these parts of the territory that were placed under veterinary restrictions in relation to these outbreaks may again be considered HPAI free and imports into the Union of certain poultry commodities originating from these areas should be re-authorised.

(9)

Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 798/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(10)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,