27.10.2007 Official Journal of the European Union L 283/37 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1266/2007 of 26 October 2007 on implementing rules for Council Directive 2000/75/EC as regards the control, monitoring, surveillance and restrictions on movements of certain animals of susceptible species in relation to bluetongue (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Directive 82/894/EEC of 21 December 1982 on the notification of animal diseases within the Community (?), and in particular the second indent of Article 5(2), Having regard to Council Directive 2000/75/EC of 20 November 2000 laying down specific provisions for the control and eradication of bluetongue (%), and in particular Article 6(1) and (3), Article 8(2)(d), Article 8(3), Article 9(1)(c), Articles 11 and 12 and the third paragraph of Article 19 thereof, Whereas: (1)  Directive 2000/75/EC lays down control rules and measures to combat bluetongue in the Community, including the establishment of protection and surveillance zones and a ban on animals of the susceptible species leaving those zones. Exemptions from that ban may de decided by the Commission in accordance with the procedure provided for in that Directive. (2)  Commission Decision 2005/393/EC of 23 May 2005 on protection and surveillance zones in relation to blue- tongue and conditions applying to movements from or through these zones (}) provides for the demarcation of the global geographic areas where protection and surveillance zones (the restricted zones) are to be estab- lished by the Member States. (") OJ L 378, 31.12.1982. Directive as last amended by Commission Decision 2004/216/EC (O] L 67, 5.3.2004, p. 27). (® OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 74. Directive as last amended by Directive 2006/104/EC (O] L 363, 20.12.2006, p. 352). () OJ L 130, 24.5.2005, p. 22. Decision as last amended by Decision 2007/357[EC (O] L 133, 25.5.2007, p. 44). G) Following the adoption of Decision 2005/393/EEC, the bluetongue situation in the Community has considerably changed and new experience has been gained on disease control, in particular following the recent incursions of new serotypes of bluetongue virus, namely of serotype 8 in an area of the Community where outbreaks had never been reported before and which was not considered at risk of bluetongue, and of serotype 1 of that virus. On the basis of the experience gained, it is appropriate to improve harmonisation at Community level of the rules on the control, monitoring, surveillance, and restrictions on movements of susceptible animals, excluding wild animals, in relation to bluetongue as they are of funda- mental importance for safe trade in susceptible farmed animals moving within and from restricted zones, with the aim of establishing a more sustainable strategy for the control of bluetongue. For the sake of harmonisation and clarity, it is therefore necessary to repeal Decision 2005/393/EC and to replace it by this Regulation. The new situation as regards bluetongue has also led the Commission to request scientific advice and support from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) which has delivered two scientific reports and two scientific opinions on bluetongue in 2007. Pursuant to Directive 2000/75/EC, the demarcation of protection and surveillance zones must take account of geographical, administrative, ecological and epizootio- logical factors connected with bluetongue and of the control arrangements. In order to take account of those factors, it is necessary to lay down rules as regards the minimum harmonised requirements for monitoring and surveillance of bluetongue in the Community. Surveillance and exchange of information are key elements of a risk-based approach to bluetongue control measures. For that purpose, it is appropriate, in addition to the definitions laid down in Article 2 of Directive 2000/75/EC, to provide in particular for a defi- nition of a case of bluetongue, to enable a common understanding of the essential parameters related to an outbreak of bluetongue.