Here’s a breakdown of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/229:
**1. Essence of the Act:**
This regulation amends Annex I of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, which outlines special disease control measures for African swine fever (ASF). The amendment involves updating the lists of restricted zones (I, II, and III) within specific Member States due to the evolving epidemiological situation of ASF. The changes are based on new outbreaks in wild porcine animals and improvements in the situation in certain areas regarding kept porcine animals.
**2. Structure and Main Provisions:**
* **Article 1:** This is the core of the regulation, stating that Annex I of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 is replaced entirely by the text provided in the Annex to this new regulation. This means all previous restricted zones are superseded by the updated list.
* **Article 2:** Specifies that the regulation comes into force the day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This indicates the urgency of these measures.
* **Annex:** This section contains the updated list of restricted zones I, II, and III for various Member States. The annex is divided into three parts, each listing the restricted zones.
**Changes Compared to Previous Versions:**
The regulation modifies the restricted zones in several Member States, including:
* **Croatia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia:** Changes to restricted zones due to new outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals.
* **Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland:** Certain areas previously listed as restricted zones III are now listed as restricted zones II due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept porcine animals.
**3. Main Provisions Important for Use:**
* **Geographic Scope:** The regulation directly impacts Member States listed in Annex I. It is crucial for these countries to understand the updated zoning to implement appropriate disease control measures.
* **Restricted Zone Definitions:** The specific geographic descriptions of the restricted zones (using administrative boundaries, roads, etc.) are essential for accurate implementation. Authorities and individuals need to be able to clearly identify which areas are subject to specific restrictions.
* **Disease Control Measures:** This regulation triggers the application of specific disease control measures as outlined in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 within the newly defined restricted zones.
* **Entry into Force:** The immediate entry into force emphasizes the need for rapid action by Member States to implement the updated zoning and associated control measures.
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