(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)

On 20 March 2026, the United States has notified the Commission of four new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry in the states of Michigan, Maryland, and Pennsylvania which were confirmed between 13 March 2026 and 17 March 2026 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(6)

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

(7)

The United States has submitted further information to the Commission on the epidemiological situation on its territory and the measures that were taken to prevent the further spread of HPAI following those recent HPAI outbreaks.

(8)

The information provided by the United States 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, it is appropriate to suspend 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 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, the United Kingdom and the United States 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)

In particular, on 24 March 2026, the United Kingdom submitted updated information on the animal health situation and the measures it has taken in relation to seven outbreaks of HPAI in poultry in the county of Suffolk, in England, and in the council areas of Midlothian and Scottish Borders, in Scotland, which were confirmed between 18 December 2025 and 30 January 2026 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(11)

On 17 March 2026, the United States submitted updated information on the animal health situation and the measures it has taken in relation to three outbreaks of HPAI in poultry in the state of Indiana which were confirmed between 17 November 2025 and 28 November 2025 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(12)

The United Kingdom and the United States have informed the Commission that, following those earlier outbreaks of HPAI, they had implemented a stamping out policy in order to control and limit the spread of that disease, and they had 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 the United Kingdom and the United States in that regard 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 the United Kingdom and the United States, from which entry into the Union had been suspended, should be re-authorised. Therefore, the entries for the United Kingdom and the United States 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 the United Kingdom and the United States, 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,