(1)

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 provides that consignments of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin from third countries or territories are only to be allowed to enter into the Union if the third countries or territories concerned are listed in accordance with Article 230(1) of that Regulation.

(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, 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, 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)

The United States has notified the Commission of 11 new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry in the states of California, Kansas, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania and South Dakota, which were confirmed between 3 February 2026 and 11 February 2026 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(6)

Following those recent outbreaks of HPAI, the veterinary authority of 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.

(7)

The United States has submitted information to the Commission on the epidemiological situation on its territory and the measures it has 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 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 new outbreaks in that third country 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 States in the tables set out in Section B of Part 1 and in Part 2 of Annex V, and the table set out in Section B of Part 1 of Annex XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 should be amended accordingly.

(9)

In addition, Canada and the United Kingdom have provided updated information to the Commission in relation to the epidemiological situation on their respective territories as regards earlier outbreaks of HPAI that gave rise to the suspension of the entry into the Union of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds, as set out in the table in Section B of Part 1 of Annex V, and in the table in Section B of Part 1 of Annex XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404.

(10)

On 20 January 2026 and 10 February 2026, Canada submitted updated information on the animal health situation and the measures it has taken in relation to four outbreaks of HPAI in poultry in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, which were confirmed between 13 October 2025 and 11 December 2025 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(11)

On 5 February 2026, 9 February 2026, 11 February 2026, and 12 February 2026, the United Kingdom submitted updated information on the animal health situation and the measures it has taken in relation to six outbreaks of HPAI in poultry in the counties of Cumbria, East Riding of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Somerset and Worcestershire, in England, and the county of Powys, in Wales, which were confirmed between 11 November 2025 and 27 December 2025 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(12)

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

(13)

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 had given rise to the suspension of the entry of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds into the Union from the affected zones, as set out in the table in Section B of Part 1 of Annex V, and in the table in Section B of Part 1 of Annex 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 had been suspended, should be re-authorised. Therefore, the entries for Canada and the United Kingdom in those tables in those Annexes should be amended accordingly.

(14)

Taking into account the new HPAI outbreaks in 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.

(15)

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