(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, Annex XIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 sets out the list of third countries or territories, or zones thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of fresh meat of ungulates.

(5)

On 2 April 2026, Botswana informed the Commission of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the Ramatlabama bovine animals’ establishment in the region of Barolong, in the Southern District of Botswana, which was confirmed by the competent authorities on 1 April 2026 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR and AC-ELISA). That establishment is located within the veterinary disease control zone 11 designated by the competent authorities of Botswana where also the only EU listed slaughterhouse approved for entry into the Union of fresh meat of certain ungulates is located and which has no movement control measures in place or physical barriers with the veterinary disease control zones 12 and 13.

(6)

Moreover, following the immediate notification of an outbreak of FMD in the region of Barolong, in the Southern District of Botswana, submitted to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) by the Delegate of Botswana, WOAH has suspended the ‘FMD-free zone where vaccination is not practised’ status of the zone consisting of veterinary disease control zones 3c (Dukwi), 4b, 5, 6a, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 designated by the competent authorities of Botswana, as recognised by the World Assembly of Delegates in terms of Resolution No. 13 in May 2025, with effect from 31 March 2026.

(7)

The list of third countries or territories, or zones thereof set out in Part 1 of Annex XIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 specifies that the entry into the Union from the zones BW-1, consisting of the veterinary disease control zones 4b, 5, 8 and 9, BW-2, consisting of the veterinary disease control zones 10, 11 and 13, BW-3, consisting of a veterinary disease control zone 12, and BW-5, consisting of a veterinary disease control zone 6a, in Botswana of consignments of fresh meat of certain ungulates, is authorised.

(8)

Due to the risk of the introduction of FMD into the Union by means of consignments of fresh meat of certain ungulates from Botswana and taking in particular into account of Article 124, point (c), of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 forbidding transport of animals from their establishments of origin to the slaughterhouse though zones not listed for entry into the Union, the entry into the Union from zones BW-1, BW-2, BW-3 and BW-5 in Botswana of such consignments should no longer be authorised.

(9)

In addition, 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.

(10)

On 16 April 2026, Canada has notified the Commission of an outbreak of HPAI in poultry in the province of Saskatchewan, which was confirmed on 13 April 2026 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(11)

On 12 April 2026 and 15 April 2026, the United Kingdom has notified the Commission of three new outbreaks of HPAI in poultry in the counties of Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, in England, which were confirmed on 11 April 2026 and 14 April 2026 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(12)

On 2 April 2026 and 16 April 2026, the United States has notified the Commission of a total of 14 new outbreaks of HPAI in poultry in the states of Arkansas, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, which were confirmed between 31 March 2026 and 14 April 2026 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(13)

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

(14)

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

(15)

The information provided by Canada, the United Kingdom and 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 authorities of Canada, the United Kingdom and 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 those third countries 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 Canada, the United Kingdom and 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.

(16)

In addition, Canada, 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.

(17)

In particular, on 13 April 2026, Canada submitted updated information on the animal health situation and the measures it had taken in relation to an outbreak of HPAI in poultry in the province of Alberta, which was confirmed on 21 November 2025 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(18)

On 14 April 2026, the United Kingdom submitted updated information on the animal health situation and the measures it had taken in relation to an outbreak of HPAI in poultry in the country of Yorkshire, England which was confirmed on 3 March 2026 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(19)

On 9 April 2026, the United States submitted updated information on the animal health situation and the measures it had taken in relation to outbreaks of HPAI in poultry in the states of Colorado, Florida, Idaho, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Washington, which were confirmed between 20 October 2025 and 3 March 2026 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(20)

Canada, 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.

(21)

The Commission has evaluated the information submitted by Canada, 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 Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, from which entry into the Union had been suspended, should be re-authorised. Therefore, the entries for Canada and the United States in those tables in those Annexes should be amended accordingly.

(22)

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

(23)

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