1.Without prejudice to Directive 90/425/EC, and in particular Article 10 thereof, where the foot-and-mouth disease virus appears to be spreading despite the measures taken in accordance with this Directive and the epizootic becomes extensive and in any case when emergency vaccination is implemented, Member States shall ensure that their territory is regionalised into one or more restricted and free zones.
2.Member States shall notify to the Commission without delay the details of the measures implemented in the restricted zone and the Commission shall review, where necessary amend, and endorse the measures in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 89(3).
3.Without prejudice to the obligation of Member States to regionalise referred to in paragraph 1, regionalisation, and the measures to be applied within the restricted zone, may be decided in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 89(3). This decision may extent its effects to neighbouring Member States not infected at the time the measures are taken.
4.Prior to the delimitation of the restricted zone, a thorough epidemiological assessment of the situation shall be carried out, especially with respect to the possible time and probable location of introduction, the possible spread and the probable period of time necessary to eradicate the foot-and-mouth disease virus.
5.The restricted zone shall as far as possible be delimited on the basis of administrative boundaries or geographical barriers. Regionalisation shall take as its starting point larger administrative units rather than regions. The restricted zone may be reduced in the light of the results of the epidemiological inquiry provided for in Article 13, to an area of the size not less than a sub-region, and where necessary the surrounding sub-regions. In the event of the foot-and-mouth disease virus spreading, the restricted zone shall be enlarged by including additional regions or sub-regions.