(1)

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 provides that consignments of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin must come from a third country or territory, or zone or compartment thereof, listed in accordance with Article 230(1) of that Regulation in order to enter the Union.

(2)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 (2) lays down the animal health requirements that consignments of certain species and categories of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin, from third countries or territories, or zones thereof, or compartments thereof in the case of aquaculture animals, must comply with in order to enter the Union.

(3)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 (3) lays down the lists of third countries, or territories, or zones thereof, from which the entry into the Union of the species and categories of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin falling within the scope of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 is permitted. Those lists and certain general rules concerning those lists are set out in Annexes I to XXII to that Implementing Regulation.

(4)

More particularly, Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 set out the lists of third countries, territories, or zones thereof authorised for the entry into the Union respectively of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds.

(5)

On 9 August 2025, the United Kingdom has notified the Commission of two new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry in the county of Devon, England, which were confirmed on 8 August 2025 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(6)

Following those recent outbreaks of HPAI, the veterinary authority of the United Kingdom established restricted zones of at least 10 km around the affected establishments and implemented a stamping-out policy to control the presence of HPAI and limit the spread of that disease.

(7)

The United Kingdom has submitted further information to the Commission on the epidemiological situation in its territory, as well as on the measures taken to prevent the further spread of HPAI following those recent HPAI outbreaks.

(8)

That information has been evaluated by the Commission. In view of the animal health situation in the areas under restrictions established by the veterinary authority of the United Kingdom, the entry into the Union of consignments, of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds from the areas concerned by the outbreaks should be suspended in order to protect the animal health status of the Union, taking into account the dates when the outbreaks were confirmed. Therefore, the entries for the United Kingdom in the tables set out in in Section B, Part 1 and in Part 2 of Annex V, and the table set out in Section B, Part 1 of Annex XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 should be amended accordingly.

(9)

Furthermore, the United Kingdom has provided updated information to the Commission in relation to the epidemiological situation in its territory as regards HPAI that previously gave rise to the suspension of the entry into the Union of consignments of poultry, germinal products of poultry, and fresh meat of poultry and game birds, as set out in Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404.

(10)

On 11 August 2025, the United Kingdom submitted updated information on the animal health situation and the measures it has taken in relation to an outbreak of HPAI in poultry in the county of Wrexham, Wales, which was confirmed on 24 June 2025 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(11)

On 13 August 2025, the United Kingdom submitted updated information on the animal health situation and the measures it has taken in relation to an outbreak of HPAI in poultry in the county of North Yorkshire, England, which was confirmed on 20 June 2025 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(12)

The United Kingdom informed the Commission that, following those outbreaks of HPAI, it has implemented a stamping out policy in order to control and limit the spread of that disease, and also completed the requisite cleaning and disinfection following the implementation of the stamping out policy on the infected poultry establishments.

(13)

The Commission has evaluated the information submitted by the United Kingdom and considers that it has provided appropriate guarantees that the animal health situation that has given rise to the suspension of the entry of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and fresh meat of poultry and game birds into the Union from the affected zones, as set out in Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404, no longer represents a threat to animal or public health in the Union, and that, consequently, the entry into the Union of those consignments from the affected zones in the United Kingdom from which entry into the Union has been suspended, should be reauthorised. Therefore, the entries for that third country in the table set out in Section B, Part 1 and in Part 2 of Annex V, and the table set out in Section B, Part 1 of Annex XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 should be amended accordingly.

(14)

Taking into account the recent HPAI outbreaks in the United Kingdom, and in order to avoid any unnecessary disruption in trade with that third country, the amendments to be made to Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 by this Regulation should take effect as a matter of urgency.

(15)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,