Surveillance, eradication programmes and disease-free status

The rules concerning surveillance, eradication programmes and disease-free status are set out in Part II of Regulation (EU) 2016/429.

Regarding surveillance, operators already have to comply with basic obligations, while the competent authority may design and implement more targeted actions.

With regard to avian influenza, a Category A disease listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882, a specific EU surveillance is ongoing. Further information on that is available from a dedicated page.

As regards Category B or Category C diseases listed in that Regulation, a Member State may apply to the Commission for approval of disease-free status for one or more of those listed diseases, for one or more of the relevant animal species, for its entire territory or for one or more zones thereof and be granted those statuses.

Member States which are not free from one or more of the Category B diseases listed in that Regulation throughout their territory, must establish a programme for the eradication of that listed disease (‘compulsory eradication programme’).

Member States which are not free from one or more of the Category C diseases listed in that Regulation, may establish a programme for the eradication of that listed disease (‘optional eradication programme’).

The rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 are supplemented by the rules in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689.Those supplementary rules provide for definitions for a suspected case or a confirmed case (Article 9). 

They also set out details of the disease control measures, which must be applied when a Category B or Category C disease is suspected or confirmed in a disease-free Member State, zone or compartment or in one, which is subject to an eradication programme.

Subsequently, Annexes I to XVIII to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, list Member States and zones or compartments thereof, which have disease free status or approved eradication programmes for those diseases. 

There is only one exemption for aquatic diseases where such zones or compartments of Member States concern <75% of the territory of the Member State and where the water catchment supplying those zones or compartments is not shared with another Member State or non-EU country. Further information on those is available on the page for aquatic animals.

Each Member State must establish and maintain an up-to-date list of its territory or zones with disease-free status, and of its compartments with disease-free status, when applicable. Member States must make those lists publicly available. 

The Commission assists the Member States in making the information contained in those lists available to the public by providing on its internet page the links to the internet-based information pages of the Member States.

That list of territories, zones or compartments with disease-free status must be compiled using the standard electronic template. Member States must amend those lists within two working days, if the disease-free status of the territory, zones or compartments changes, e.g. when they suspect or confirm that the conditions for maintaining that status are no longer met.

The following maps (except as regards Iceland, Norway and Switzerland) are based on Annexes I to VII to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 laying down lists of Member States and zones thereof which have disease free status or approved eradication programmes for those diseases. 

These maps are displayed here only for information purposes, they have no legal value. Only the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 published in the Official Journal has legal value. These maps are updated following amendments to the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620.

Annexes I to III to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 list Member States and zones which have approved compulsory eradication programmes for Category B diseases.

• Specific information on Bluetongue