29.8.2013

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 230/20

(1)

Avian influenza is an infectious viral disease in birds, including poultry. Infections with avian influenza viruses in domestic poultry cause two main forms of that disease that are distinguished by their virulence. The low pathogenic form generally only causes mild symptoms, while the highly pathogenic form results in very high mortality rates in most poultry species. That disease may have a severe impact on the profitability of poultry farming.

(2)

Avian influenza is mainly found in birds, but under certain circumstances infections can also occur in humans even though the risk is generally very low.

(3)

In the event of an outbreak of avian influenza, there is a risk that the disease agent might spread to other holdings where poultry or other captive birds are kept. As a result it may spread from one Member State to other Member States or to third countries through trade in live birds or their products.

(4)

Council Directive 2005/94/EC (3) sets out certain preventive measures relating to the surveillance and the early detection of avian influenza and the minimum control measures to be applied in the event of an outbreak of that disease in poultry or other captive birds. That Directive provides for the establishment of protection and surveillance zones in the event of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

(5)

Council Directive 2009/158/EC (4) lays down rules for trade within the Union in those commodities, including the veterinary certificates to be used.

(6)

Following the notification by Italy of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H7N7 in a holding in the commune of Ostellato, in the province of Ferrara in the Region Emilia-Romagna on 15 August 2013, the Commission adopted Implementing Decision 2013/439/EU (5), that lays down provisions for protection and surveillance zones to be established around the outbreak.

(7)

On 21 August 2013 Italy notified the occurrence of a second outbreak of disease in the commune of Mordano in the province of Bologna and on 23 August 2013 of a third outbreak of disease in the commune of Portomaggiore in the province of Ferrara, both in the Region Emilia-Romagna and it immediately took the measures required pursuant to Directive 2005/94/EC, including the establishment of protection, surveillance and further restricted zones, which should be defined in Parts A, B and C of the Annex to this Decision.

(8)

The Commission has examined those measures in collaboration with Italy, and it is satisfied that the borders of those zones established by the competent authority in that Member State are at a sufficient distance to the actual holding where the outbreak was confirmed.

(9)

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 define those zones established in Italy at Union level and to provide that no consignments of live poultry, ready-to-lay poultry, day-old chicks and hatching eggs are dispatched from those zones to other Member States or to third countries.

(10)

Day-old chicks present a negligible risk for the spread of the disease provided that in accordance with the provisions of Article 30(c)(iii) second subparagraph of the Directive 2005/94/EC they have hatched from hatching eggs originating from poultry holdings located outside the protection and surveillance zones and the hatchery of dispatch can ensure by its logistics and by its biosecurity working conditions that no contact has occurred between those eggs and any other hatching eggs or day-old chicks originating from poultry flocks within the established protection or surveillance zones and which are therefore of a different health status.

(11)

Hatching eggs equally present a negligible risk for the spread of the disease provided that in accordance with the provisions of Article 30(c)(iv) of Directive 2005/94/EC they originate from holdings located outside the protection and surveillance zones and their packaging is disinfected before dispatch to a designated hatchery.

(12)

It is therefore appropriate that the competent authority of Italy may authorise the dispatch of consignments of day-old chicks and hatching eggs from the further restricted zones defined in this Decision according to the requirements laid down in Directive 2005/94/EC provided that Italy gives written notification in advance and the Member State or third country of destination confirms its prior agreement to receive these consignments.

(13)

In order to verify compliance with the provisions of this Decision, it is appropriate that the veterinary certificates provided for in Directive 2009/158/EC include a reference to that effect.

(14)

For the sake of clarity, Implementing Decision 2013/439/EU should be repealed.

(15)

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

(a)

the measures laid down in Article 30(c)(iii) second subparagraph and (iv) of Directive 2005/94/EC are applied;

(b)

the competent authority of the Member State or third country of destination is given written notification in advance and undertakes to receive the consignments of the day-old chicks and hatching eggs and notify their date of arrival at the holding of destination on its territory to the competent authority of Italy.