(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, or 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)

Canada has notified the Commission of three new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry in the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan which were confirmed between 25 April 2025 and 2 May 2025 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(6)

The United States has notified the Commission of four new outbreaks of HPAI in poultry in the states of New York (2), North Dakota (1), and South Dakota (1) which were confirmed between 18 April 2025 and 30 April 2025 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(7)

Following those recent outbreaks of HPAI, the veterinary authorities of Canada and the United States 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.

(8)

Canada and the United States have submitted information to the Commission on the epidemiological situation in their respective territories as well as on the measures taken to prevent the further spread of HPAI following those recent HPAI outbreaks.

(9)

That information has been evaluated by the Commission. In view of the animal health situation in the areas under restrictions established by the veterinary authorities of Canada and the United States, 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 recent outbreaks should be suspended in order to protect the animal health status of the Union. Therefore, the entries for Canada and the United States 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.

(10)

In addition, Canada and the United Kingdom have provided updated information to the Commission in relation to the epidemiological situation in their respective territories as regards HPAI that 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.

(11)

On 24 April 2025, Canada submitted updated information on the epidemiological situation in relation to an outbreak of HPAI in poultry in the province of Nova Scotia, which was confirmed on 4 March 2025 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(12)

On 25 April 2025, 6 May 2025 and 8 May 2025, the United Kingdom submitted updated information on the animal health situation and the measures it has taken in relation to 12 outbreaks of HPAI in poultry in the counties of Cumbria (1), Durham (2), East Riding of Yorkshire (3), Norfolk (1), North Yorkshire (3), and Shropshire (1), England and in the county of Daviot, Scotland, which were confirmed between 20 January 2025 and 29 March 2025 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(13)

Canada and the United Kingdom informed the Commission that, following those outbreaks of HPAI, they 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.

(14)

The Commission has evaluated the information submitted by Canada and the United Kingdom, and considers that they have 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 of Canada and the United Kingdom, from which entry into the Union has been suspended, should be reauthorised. Therefore, the entries for those third countries in the tables 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.

(15)

In addition, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/641 (4) amended Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 by suspending the entry into the Union of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds from 27 new zones in the United States where outbreaks of HPAI occurred. An error was detected in the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/641, as regards the numbering of one of those new zones in Part 2 of Annex V to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404. By mistake, zone US-2.967 is listed in the table, instead of zone US-2.997. As a consequence, the description of the already existing zone US-2.967 has been amended with incorrect geographical information, and there is currently no description provided in Part 2 of Annex V to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 for zone US-2.997. Part 2 of Annex V to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 should, therefore, be corrected by replacing the description of zone US-2.967 by the original description, and by adding the description of zone US-2.997.

(16)

Taking into account the new HPAI outbreaks in Canada and the United States, and in order to avoid any unnecessary disruption in trade with Canada and the United Kingdom, 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.

(17)

Part 2 of Annex V to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 provides no description of the exact geographical location for zone US-2.997, from which the entry into the Union of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds was suspended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/641, and the description of the exact geographical location for zone US-2.967 has erroneously been replaced by incorrect information by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/641. This could create a trade disturbance and is hindering the effective implementation of the AHL as regards HPAI regionalisation in third countries. The correction concerning Part 2 of Annex V to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards zones US-2.967 and US-2.997 should, therefore, apply from the date of entry into force of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/641.

(18)

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