(1)

Commission Decision 2009/177/EC of 31 October 2008 implementing Council Directive 2006/88/EC as regards surveillance and eradication programmes and disease-free status of Member States, zones and compartments (2) lays down model forms for submission by Member States for approval of eradication programmes pursuant to Directive 2006/88/EC and for submission of documentation for approval of disease-free status pursuant to that Directive.

(2)

Part B of Annex I to Decision 2009/177/EC sets out lists of Member States, zones and compartments subject to eradication programmes approved in accordance with Directive 2006/88/EC. Part C of that Annex sets out lists of Member States, zones and compartments declared disease-free in accordance with that Directive.

(3)

Denmark submitted to the Commission a multi-annual programme for the eradication of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) pursuant to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (3) for the period from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2013. That programme was approved by Commission Decision 2008/897/EC of 28 November 2008 approving annual and multi-annual programmes and the financial contribution from the Community for the eradication, control and monitoring of certain animal diseases and zoonoses presented by the Member States for 2009 and following years (4). That programme complies with the requirements for approval laid down in Decision 2009/177/EC and should therefore be approved according to Article 44(2) of Directive 2006/88/EC. Accordingly, the zones covered by that programme should be inserted in Part B of the list set out in Annex I to that Decision.

(4)

Article 12 of Decision 2009/177/EC provides for a derogation from Directive 2006/88/EC whereby Member States are not required to submit for approval eradication programmes that were approved for the purposes of obtaining approved zone status with regard to VHS by Commission Decision 2003/634/EC of 28 August 2003 approving programmes for the purpose of obtaining the status of approved zones and of approved farms in non-approved zones with regard to viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN) in fish (5), subject to certain conditions.

(5)

Decision 2003/634/EC approved a programme submitted by Finland for the purpose of obtaining approved zone status with regard to VHS. Finland has now submitted a report on that programme in accordance with the requirements laid down in Decision 2009/177/EC. Accordingly, the zones covered by that programme should therefore be inserted in the list in Part B of Annex I to that Decision.

(6)

Germany submitted to the Commission a multi-annual programme for the eradication of koi herpes virus (KHV) disease pursuant to Decision 90/424/EEC. That programme was approved by Decision 2008/897/EC for the period from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2013. That programme complies with the requirements for approval laid down in Decision 2009/177/EC and should therefore be approved according to Article 44(2) of Directive 2006/88/EC. Accordingly, the zones covered by that programme should be inserted in Part B of the list set out in Annex I to that Decision.

(7)

The whole territory of the United Kingdom is currently listed in Part C of Annex I to Decision 2009/177/EC as declared disease-free in accordance with Directive 2006/88/EC as regards infectious salmon anaemia (ISA). The United Kingdom has notified the presence of ISA in a compartment previously declared free of that disease. Accordingly, the entry for that Member State as regards ISA should be amended in the list set out in Part C of Annex I to Decision 2009/177/EC.

(8)

The United Kingdom has now submitted for approval an eradication programme with regard to ISA to be applied in the South West Shetland Islands. That programme complies with the requirements of Decision 2009/177/EC. Accordingly, it should be approved and the South West Shetland Islands should be inserted in Part B of the list set out in Annex I to that Decision.

(9)

Decision 2003/634/EC approved a programme submitted by the United Kingdom for the purpose of obtaining approved zone status with regard to VHS. The United Kingdom has now submitted a report on that programme in accordance with the requirements laid down in Decision 2009/177/EC in order to obtain a declaration of disease-free status for those zones. That report complies with the requirements of Decision 2009/177/EC. Accordingly, those zones should therefore be inserted in the list of Part C of Annex I to that Decision.

(10)

In addition, the whole coastline of Northern Ireland, except for Lough Foyle, is currently listed in Part C of Annex I to Decision 2009/177/EC as being declared disease-free as regards infection with Bonamia ostreae. The United Kingdom has now notified the presence of infection with Bonamia ostreae in Strangforth Lough on that coastline. Strangforth Lough should therefore be excluded from the territory declared disease-free in the list set out in Part C of Annex I to that Decision.

(11)

Decision 2009/177/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(12)

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