Import Alert: Restrictions on Avian Commodities Originating from or Transiting France 

Issuance Date: September 29, 2023

10:00 Eastern time

Effective date: October 1, 2023

NOTE: This import alert details restrictions specific to avian commodities originating from or 

transiting through France. For restrictions effective October 1, 2023, specific to duck 

commodities originating from or transiting through certain other European countries, please see 

the import alert issued on September 29, 2023, entitled “Import Alert: Restrictions on Duck 

Commodities Originating from or Transiting the APHIS-defined European Poultry Trade Region 

(Excluding Great Britain), Bulgaria, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.”

Effective October 1, 2023, and until further notice, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) is restricting the 

importation of all poultry (as defined by the WOAH) and hatching eggs of poultry, unprocessed 

avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products from France. Any of these 

commodities originating from or transiting through France are prohibited, based on the 

uncertainty surrounding France’s vaccination plans for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) 

in domestic birds. The restrictions on these commodities apply to shipments accompanied by 

zoosanitary certificates issued by an official of the competent veterinary authority on or after the 

effective date.

Under these restrictions, processed avian products and byproducts originating from or transiting 

France, imported as cargo, must be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or government 

certification confirming that the products were treated according to APHIS requirements.

Importation, as cargo, of fresh, unprocessed shell/table eggs and other egg products, void of the 

shell (i.e., liquid eggs, dried egg whites, etc.), originating from or transiting France, is prohibited 

unless they are consigned from the port of arrival directly to an APHIS-approved breaking and 

pasteurization facility. An import permit and/or certificate is not required for these shipments 

when consigned directly to an APHIS-approved establishment.

Processed avian products and byproducts, including egg/egg products, for personal use 

originating from or transiting France entering in passenger baggage must: 

• have a thoroughly cooked appearance; and 

• be shelf-stable as a result of APHIS-approved packaging and cooking (i.e., packaged in 

hermetically sealed containers and cooked by a commercial method after such packing to 

produce articles that are shelf stable without refrigeration); or 

• be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or government certification confirming 

that the products/byproducts were treated according to APHIS requirements.

Unprocessed avian products and byproducts originating from or transiting France will not be 

permitted to enter the United States. This includes hunter harvested, non-fully finished avian 

trophies and meat. 
Importation of poultry (as defined by WOAH) and hatching eggs of poultry will be prohibited. 

Zoo birds or unvaccinated pet birds, pigeons, and doves, may continue to be imported in 

accordance with the current certification, permitting, and quarantine requirements detailed on the 

APHIS Live Animal Import website. 

These restrictions will be updated as additional epidemiological information is obtained. Current 

information can be found on the APHIS website.