Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/715 of 7 April 2025 amending Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 laying down special disease control measures for African swine fever

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 Articles 71(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) African swine fever is an infectious viral disease affecting kept and wild porcine 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 of those consignments to third countries.

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 (2) lays down special disease control measures regarding African swine fever to be applied for a limited period of time by the Member States which are listed, or which have areas listed, in Annexes I and II thereto (the Member States concerned). That Implementing Regulation lays down rules on the listing at Union level in Annex I thereto of restricted zones I, II and III following outbreaks of African swine fever, and rules on the listing at Union level in Annex II thereto, following an outbreak of that disease in a previously disease-free Member State or zone.

(3) Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 was last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/624 (3) following changes in the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in Germany and Poland.

(4) Since the date of adoption of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/498, there have been new outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals in Germany, Greece, Italy and Poland.

(5) Amendments to the restricted zones I, II and III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should be based on the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in the areas affected by that disease and the overall epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Member State concerned, and the level of risk for the further spread of that disease, as well as scientifically based principles and criteria for geographically defining zoning due to African swine fever laid out in the Commission Notice on the guidelines on the prevention, control and eradication of African swine fever in the Union (ASF guidelines) (4). The amendments also take account of international standards, such as the Terrestrial Animal Health Code (5) of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and justifications for zoning provided by the competent authorities of the Member State concerned.

(6) In March 2025, an outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in the State of Hessen in Germany, in an area listed as a restricted zone II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 but in close proximity to an area listed as restricted zone I in that Annex. This new outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal constitutes an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. That area of Germany currently listed as a restricted zone I should now be listed instead as restricted zone II in that Annex, and the current boundaries of the restricted zones I and II also need to be redefined to take account of this outbreak.

(7) Also, in March 2025 an outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in the Serres region in Greece, in an area listed as restricted zone I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. This new outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal constitutes an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. In order to ensure territorial continuity, in accordance with Article 6(2) of that Implementing Regulation, that area of Greece currently listed as a restricted zone I affected by that recent outbreak of African swine fever, should now be listed instead as a restricted zone II in that Annex, and the current boundaries of the restricted zones I and II also need to be redefined to take account of that outbreak.

(8) In addition, in March 2025 an outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in the Emilia Romagna region in Italy, in an area listed as a restricted zone II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, but in close proximity to an area listed as a restricted zone I in that Annex. This new outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal constitutes an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. That area of Italy currently listed as a restricted zone I should now be listed instead as a restricted zone II in that Annex, and the current boundaries of the restricted zones I and II also need to be redefined to take account of that outbreak.

(9) Furthermore, an outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in the Pomorskie region in Poland, in an area listed as a restricted zone II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 but in close proximity to an area listed as a restricted zone I in that Annex. This new outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal constitutes an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. This area of Poland currently listed as a restricted zone I should now instead be listed as a restricted zone II in that Annex, and the current boundaries of restricted zones I and II also need to be redefined to take account of those outbreaks.

(10) Accordingly, in order to take account of the recent developments in the epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Union, and in order to combat the risks associated with the spread of that disease in a proactive manner, new restricted zones of a sufficient size should be demarcated for Germany, Greece, Italy and Poland and listed as restricted zones I and II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594.

(11) As the situation as regards African swine fever is very dynamic in the Union, when demarcating those new restricted zones, account has been taken of the epidemiological situation in the surrounding areas.

(12) Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the spread of African swine fever, it is important that the amendments to be made to Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 by this Regulation take effect as soon as possible.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Amendments to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594

Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 is replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

Entry into force

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 7 April 2025.

For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/429/oj.

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 of 16 March 2023 laying down special disease control measures for African swine fever and repealing Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 (OJ L 79, 17.3.2023, p. 65, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/594/oj).

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/624 of 24 March 2025 amending Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 laying down special control measures for African swine fever (OJ L, 2025/624, 25.3.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/624/oj).

(4) C/2023/7855 (OJ C, C/2023/1504, 18.12.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2023/1504/oj).

(5) WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health code 31st Edition, 2023. Volumes I and II ISBN 978-92-95121-74-4 https://www.woah.org/en/what-we-do/standards/codes-and-manuals/terrestrial-code-online-access/.