The Council has received a corrigendum to the Commission Delegated Regulation of 27 March 2026 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 on bluetongue virus (serotype 1-24) eradication programmes and disease-free status. The correction, dated 28 July 2026 and transmitted to the Council on 29 July 2026, postpones the application date of the rules from 15 July 2026 to 1 November 2026 in two places: Recital 6 and Article 2, second paragraph. The document, referenced as C(2026) 5597 final, was issued as a cover note to the Council, which is now expected to review the corrected text before the new application date takes effect.
The original delegated regulation, adopted on 27 March 2026, was designed to update the EU's animal health framework for bluetongue, a viral disease affecting ruminants such as sheep and cattle. The amendment to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 sets out revised requirements for eradication programmes and for the recognition of disease-free status for bluetongue serotypes 1-24. The postponement of the application date gives member states and stakeholders additional time to align with the new rules, which are part of the EU's broader efforts to control the spread of bluetongue and facilitate safe trade in live animals.
The change affects national veterinary authorities, which must implement the revised surveillance and vaccination programmes, as well as livestock farmers and the animal trade sector, who will need to comply with updated movement and health certification requirements. The extra time before the rules apply may ease the administrative burden on these stakeholders, but it also delays the full harmonisation of bluetongue control measures across the EU. The European Parliament, which has oversight of delegated acts, will be informed of the corrigendum, though no further action is required unless objections are raised. The new application date of 1 November 2026 is now the operative date for the amended provisions.