Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/797 of 27 March 2026 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 as regards the infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) eradication programmes and disease-free status

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2026/797 7.8.2026 COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION(EU) 2026/797 of 27 March 2026 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 as regards the infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) eradication programmes and disease-free status (Text with EEA relevance) 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 31(5), 32(2), 39 and 41(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EU) 2016/429 lays down rules for the prevention and control of animal diseases that are transmissible to animals or to humans. In particular, Chapters 3 and 4 of Part II of that Regulation lay down rules on eradication programmes and disease-free status.

(2) In addition, Article 4, point (18), of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 defines ‘listed diseases’, and Article 5 of that Regulation provides that disease-specific rules are to apply for the prevention and control of listed diseases, including infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) (infection with BTV).

(3) Moreover, Article 9(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 lays down disease prevention and control rules to be applied to different categories of listed diseases. Pursuant to Article 9(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882(2) categorises each listed disease as a category A, B, C, D or E disease, which is subject to the corresponding disease-specific rules referred to in Article 9(1), points (a) to (e), of Regulation

(EU) 2016/429. Infection with BTV was categorised as a C+D+E disease, as set out in the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882. Consequently, it was subject to the disease-specific rules referred to in Article 9(1), points (c), (d) and (e), of Regulation (EU) 2016/429.

(4) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689(3) was adopted within the framework of Regulation

(EU) 2016/429, and supplements the rules on eradication programmes and disease freedom for certain listed diseases, laid down in that Regulation. One of the disease-specific rules to prevent and control infection with BTV is the implementation of optional eradication programmes. The provisions for optional eradication programmes for infection with BTV are laid down in Section 4 of Chapter 2 of Part II of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 and in Part II of Annex V thereto. Moreover, the provisions on granting and maintaining disease-free status as regards infection with BTV free are laid down in Chapter 4 of Part II of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689.

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

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 of 3 December 2018 on the application of certain disease prevention and control rules to categories of listed diseases and establishing a list of species and groups of species posing a considerable risk for the spread of those listed diseases (OJ L 308, 4.12.2018, p. 21, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2018/1882/oj).

(3) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 of 17 December 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards rules for surveillance, eradication programmes, and disease-free status for certain listed and emerging diseases (OJ L 174, 3.6.2020, p. 211, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2020/689/oj).

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2026/797/oj 1/2EN OJ L, 7.8.2026

(5) Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882, as recently amended by Commission Implementing Regulation

(EU) 2026/169(4)re-categorises infection with BTV as a category D+E disease. Such re-categorisation means that the rules for BTV optional eradication programmes and disease-free status laid down in Article 2, Article 12, Articles 37 to 45, Article 66, Article 70, Article 72, Article 81 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 and Part II of Annex V thereto are no longer relevant, as they only apply to category C diseases. Therefore, those rules should be deleted from those provisions of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689.

(6) Therefore, as the amendments made to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 by Implementing Regulation

(EU) 2026/169 concerning the new categorisation of infection with BTV as a category D+E disease apply from 1 November 2026, this Regulation should also apply from that date.

(7) Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 should, therefore, be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1 Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 is amended as follows:

(1) in Article 2, points (17), (18) and (30) are deleted;

(2) in Article 12(1), point (c)(iii) is deleted;

(3) in Part II, in Chapter 2, Section 4 is deleted;

(4) in Article 66, the third indent of point (a)(iv) is deleted;

(5) in Article 70(3), point (b) is deleted;

(6) in Article 72, point (h) is deleted;

(7) in Article 81(3), point(h) is deleted;

(8) in Annex V, Part II is deleted.

Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 1 November 2026.

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

Done at Brussels, 27 March 2026.

For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(4) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/169 of 26 January 2026 amending the Annex to Implementing Regulation

(EU) 2018/1882 concerning the categorisation of infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) as a listed disease (OJ L, 2026/169,

27.1.2026, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/169/oj).

2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2026/797/oj