Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1753 of 18 August 2025 correcting and 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 Article 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) 2025/1725 (3) following changes in the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in Croatia, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

(4) Since the date of adoption of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1725, errors have been detected in the entries for Lithuania in Parts I and III of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, as amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1725, that needs to be corrected. Recital 11 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1725 mentions that an area in Šiauliai County in Lithuania, that was listed as a restricted zone I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, must be listed instead as a restricted zone III in that Annex. However, the description of the boundaries of that new restricted zone III, and the resulting redefinition of the boundaries of restricted zones I and III, in Parts I and III of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) (EU) 2025/1725, contained errors as regards the concerned area in the municipality of Joniškio in Šiauliai County in Lithuania. As a result, those errors now affect the entries for Lithuania in Parts I and III of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, as thus amended. Accordingly, those errors should be corrected.

(5) In addition, there have been new outbreaks of African swine fever notified in wild porcine animals in Croatia, Italy and Poland, as well as outbreaks of African swine fever in kept porcine animals in Croatia, Estonia and Poland.

(6) Changes to the listing of restricted zones I, II and III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 must be based on the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in the areas affected by that disease, 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. Restricted zones are also established on scientifically agreed 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), as well as taking account of international standards, such as the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and justifications for zoning provided by the competent authorities of the Member State concerned.

(7) In July 2025, an outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals was observed in Osjecko-Baranjska county in Croatia in an area listed as a restricted zone III 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 African swine fever in kept porcine animals constitutes an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. That area of Croatia currently listed as a restricted zone I should therefore now be listed instead as a a restricted zone III in that Annex, and the current boundaries of the restricted zones I and III also need to be redefined to take account of this outbreak.

(8) Also, outbreaks of African swine fever in kept and wild porcine animals have recently been reported in Osjecko-Baranjska county in Croatia, in a zone currently listed as a restricted zone III in Part III of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and in close proximity to the border with Hungary. The adjacent area of Hungary, bordering this restricted zone III in Croatia, is currently not listed as a restricted zone in Annex I to that Implementing Regulation. These new outbreaks of African swine fever in kept and wild porcine animals constitute an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. Therefore, that area of Hungary, currently not listed and directly bordering the area in Croatia recently listed as a restricted zone III due to outbreaks in kept and wild porcine animals, should therefore now be listed as a restricted zone I in that Annex, to take account of these outbreaks in Croatia

(9) Also, in July 2025, an outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals was observed in the Viljandi Counties in Estonia, in an area listed as a restricted zone II in Annex I to Implementing regulation (EU) 2023/594. This new outbreak of African swine fever in kept porcine animals constitutes an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. That area of Estonia currently listed as a restricted zone II and affected by this recent outbreak of African swine fever, should therefore now be listed instead as a restricted zone III in that Annex, and the current boundaries of the restricted zone II also need to be redefined to take account of this outbreak.

(10) In addition, in July 2025, an outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in Emilia Romagna region in Italy in an area listed as a restricted zone I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. This new outbreak of African 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 contuinity, in accordance with Article 6(2) of that Implementing Regulation, that area of Italy currently listed as a restricted zone I and affected by this recent outbreak of African swine fever, should therefore 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 this outbreak.

(11) Furthermore, in July 2025, an outbreak of African swine fevere in a wild porcine animal was observed in Lubuskie 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 African swine fever in a wild porcine animal constitutes an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. That area of Poland currently listed as a restricted zone I should therefore 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 this outbreak.

(12) In addition, in August 2025, an outbreak of African swine fevere in kept porcine animals was observed in Lubelskie region in Poland in an area listed as a restricted zone II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. This new outbreak of African African swine fever in kept porcine animals constitutes an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. That area of Poland currently listed as a restricted zone II should therefore now be listed instead as a restricted zone III in that Annex, and the current boundaries of the restricted zones II and III also need to be redefined to take account of this outbreak.

(13) 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 Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, and Poland and listed as restricted zones I, II and III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594.

(14) 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.

(15) Furthermore, Hungary informed the Commission that, due to a change in the official register of the game management units, the game management unit 954060 in Békés County, has been merged into the adjacent game management unit 953260. Consequently, the game management unit 954060 no longer exists as a separate entity. As the game management units 954060 and 953260 are listed as restricted zones I in Part I of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, the reference to game management unit 954060 should be deleted from that Annex. The reference to restricted zone I of game management unit 953260 should be retained, and the geographical boundaries of this restricted zone I should be amended so as to encompass the area of restricted zone I formerly covered by game management unit 954060. Therefore, new boundaries and references of the game management units in Part I of Annex I to Imlementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should be amended for Hungary. Part I of Annex I to that Implementing Regulation should be amended accordingly.

(16) 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. However, as Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1725 applies from 7 August 2025, the corrections to the entries for Lithuania, in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, as amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1725, should apply from 7 August 2025.

(17) 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

Corrections to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594

Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 is amended as follows:

(a) in Part I, in the entry for No 11. Lithuania, the first indent is replaced by the following: ‘Joniškio rajono savivaldybės: Gaižaičių, Gataučių, Kriukių, Rudiškių, Žagarės seniūnijos, Joniškio seniūnijos pietinė dalis nuo 153 kelio iki E77 kelio vakarinės ribos’ ;

(b) in Part III, in the entry for No. 9. Lithuania, the first indent is replaced by the following: ‘Joniškio rajono savivaldybės: Joniškio seniūnijos šiaurinė dalis nuo 153 kelio iki E77 kelio rytinės ribos, Satkūnų, Saugėlaukio, Skaistgirio seniūnijos’.

Article 2

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 3

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.

Article 1 shall apply from 7 August 2025.

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

Done at Brussels, 18 August 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) 2025/1725 of 4 August 2025 amending Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 laying down special disease control measures for African swine fever (OJ L, 2025/1725, 6.8.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1725/oj).

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