SECTION 2

Member States shall ensure that, in the case of a suspicion of an exotic disease listed in Part II of Annex IV or, in the case of suspicion of a non-exotic disease listed in Part II of Annex IV in Member States, zones or compartments with a health status of either category I or III as referred to in Part A of Annex III, for that disease: appropriate samples are taken and examined in a laboratory designated in accordance with Article 57; pending the result of the examination provided for in point (a): the farm, or mollusc farming area, in which the disease is suspected, is placed under official surveillance and relevant control measures are implemented to prevent the spreading of the disease to other aquatic animals; no aquaculture animals are allowed to leave or enter the affected farm or mollusc farming area in which the disease is suspected, unless authorised by the competent authority; the epizootic investigation provided for in Article 29 is initiated. Member States shall ensure that the epizootic investigation initiated in accordance with Article 28(b)(iii) is carried out where the examination provided for in Article 28(a) shows the presence of: an exotic disease listed in Part II of Annex IV in any Member State; or a non-exotic disease listed in Part II of Annex IV in Member States, zones or compartments with a health status of either category I or III, as referred to in Part A of Annex III, for the disease in question. The epizootic investigation provided for in paragraph 1 shall be aimed at: determining the possible origin and means of contamination; investigating whether aquaculture animals have left the farm or mollusc farming area during the relevant period preceding the notification of the suspicion provided for in Article 26(1); investigating whether other farms have been infected. Where the epizootic investigation provided for in paragraph 1 shows that the disease may have been introduced into one or more farms, mollusc farming areas or unenclosed waters, the Member State concerned shall ensure that the measures provided for in Article 28 are applied in such farms, mollusc farming areas or unenclosed waters. In the case of extensive water catchment areas or coastal areas, the competent authority may decide to limit the application of Article 28 to a less extensive area in the vicinity of the farm or the mollusc farming area suspected of being infected, where it considers that such less extensive area is sufficiently large to guarantee that the disease does not spread. Where necessary, the competent authority of neighbouring Member States or third countries shall be informed of the suspected case of disease. In that event, the competent authorities of the Member States involved shall take appropriate action to apply the measures provided for in this Article within their territory. The competent authority shall lift the restrictions provided for in Article 28(b) where the examination provided for in point (a) of that Article fails to demonstrate the presence of the disease.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-02 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.