Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/425 of 19 February 2026 amending Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the entries for Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States in the lists of third countries, territories, or zones thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds
Date: 2026-02-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission
Subjects: Canada, United Kingdom, United States, avian influenza, fresh meat, game meat, import (EU), poultry, poultrymeat, veterinary inspection








L_202600425EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2026/425


20.2.2026







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2026/425
of 19 February 2026
         
amending Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the entries for Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States in the lists of third countries, territories, or zones thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds
(Text with EEA relevance)


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (1), and in particular Article 230(1), Article 232(1), point (b) and Article 232(3), point (b) thereof,

Whereas:







(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,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1
Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.


Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 19 February 2026.


For the Commission


The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN
            





(1)  
            OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/429/oj.

(2)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 of 30 January 2020 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards rules for entry into the Union, and the movement and handling after entry of consignments of certain animals, germinal products and products of animal origin (OJ L 174, 3.6.2020, p. 379, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2020/692/oj).

(3)  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 of 24 March 2021 laying down the lists of third countries, territories or zones thereof from which the entry into the Union of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin is permitted in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 114, 31.3.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2021/404/oj).




ANNEX
Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 are amended as follows:






(1)


Annex V is amended as follows:






(a)


in Part 1, Section B is amended as follows:






(i)


in the entry for Canada, the row for the zone CA-2.282 is replaced by the following:











‘CA

Canada


CA-2.282


BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, SP, SR, POU-LT20, HEP, HER, HE-LT20


N, P1


 


13.10.2025


13.2.2026’














(ii)


in the entry for Canada, the row for the zone CA-2.319 is replaced by the following:











‘CA

Canada


CA-2.319


BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, SP, SR, POU-LT20, HEP, HER, HE-LT20


N, P1


 


2.12.2025


11.2.2026’














(iii)


in the entry for Canada, the rows for the zones CA-2.323 and CA-2.324 are replaced by the following:











‘CA

Canada


CA-2.323


BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, SP, SR, POU-LT20, HEP, HER, HE-LT20


N, P1


 


5.12.2025


14.2.2026




CA-2.324


N, P1


 


11.12.2025


7.2.2026’














(iv)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.412 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.412


BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, SP, SR, POU-LT20, HEP, HER, HE-LT20


N, P1


 


5.11.2025


12.2.2026’














(v)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.420 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.420


BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, SP, SR, POU-LT20, HEP, HER, HE-LT20


N, P1


 


9.11.2025


9.2.2026’














(vi)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.428 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.428


BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, SP, SR, POU-LT20, HEP, HER, HE-LT20


N, P1


 


19.11.2025


5.2.2026’














(vii)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.431 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.431


BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, SP, SR, POU-LT20, HEP, HER, HE-LT20


N, P1


 


24.11.2025


9.2.2026’














(viii)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.435 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.435


BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, SP, SR, POU-LT20, HEP, HER, HE-LT20


N, P1


 


29.11.2025


10.2.2026’














(ix)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.453 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.453


BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, SP, SR, POU-LT20, HEP, HER, HE-LT20


N, P1


 


27.12.2025


9.2.2026’














(x)


in the entry for the United States, the following rows for the zones US-2.1256 to US-2.1266 are added after the row for the zone US-2.1255:











‘US

United States


US-2.1256


BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, SP, SR, POU-LT20, HEP, HER, HE-LT20


N, P1


 


3.2.2026


 




US-2.1257


N, P1


 


3.2.2026


 




US-2.1258


N, P1


 


4.2.2026


 




US-2.1259


N, P1


 


3.2.2026


 




US-2.1260


N, P1


 


3.2.2026


 




US-2.1261


N, P1


 


4.2.2026


 




US-2.1262


N, P1


 


6.2.2026


 




US-2.1263


N, P1


 


9.2.2026


 




US-2.1264


N, P1


 


10.2.2026


 




US-2.1265


N, P1


 


10.2.2026


 




US-2.1266


N, P1


 


11.2.2026’


 


















(b)


in Part 2, in the entry for the United States, the following descriptions of the zones US-2.1256 to 2.1266 are added after the description of the zone US-2.1255:







‘United States


US-2.1256


State of Pennsylvania
Lancaster 51
Lancaster County: A circular zone of a 10 km radius starting with North point (GPS coordinates: 76.5078223°W 40.1914834°N)




US-2.1257


State of Pennsylvania
Lancaster 52
Lancaster County: A circular zone of a 10 km radius starting with North point (GPS coordinates: 76.4324066°W 40.1926176°N)




US-2.1258


State of Pennsylvania
Lancaster 53
Lancaster County: A circular zone of a 10 km radius starting with North point (GPS coordinates: 76.3253622°W 40.2456643°N)




US-2.1259


State of Kansas
Haskell 01
Haskell County: A circular zone of a 10 km radius starting with North point (GPS coordinates: 100.7857398°W 37.5709964°N)




US-2.1260


State of South Dakota
Charles Mix 14
Charles Mix County: A circular zone of a 10 km radius starting with North point (GPS coordinates: 98.6595165°W 43.2680132°N)




US-2.1261


State of Mississippi
Amite 01
Amite County: A circular zone of a 10 km radius starting with North point (GPS coordinates: 90.6696848°W 31.3940375°N)




US-2.1262


State of New York
Kings 11
Kings County: A circular zone of a 10 km radius starting with North point (GPS coordinates: 73.9883416°W 40.7246249°N)




US-2.1263


State of California
Sonoma 17
Sonoma County: A circular zone of a 10 km radius starting with North point (GPS coordinates: 122.4406605°W 38.3551737°N)




US-2.1264


State of Pennsylvania
Lancaster 54
Lancaster County: A circular zone of a 10 km radius starting with North point (GPS coordinates: 76.4146745°W 40.0530160°N)




US-2.1265


State of Pennsylvania
Lancaster 55
Lancaster County: A circular zone of a 10 km radius starting with North point (GPS coordinates: 76.3288760°W 40.2474350°N)




US-2.1266


State of Pennsylvania
Lancaster 56
Lancaster County: A circular zone of a 10 km radius starting with North point (GPS coordinates: 76.3092605°W 40.2493108°N)’


















(2)


in Annex XIV, in Part 1, Section B is amended as follows:






(a)


in the entry for Canada, the row for the zone CA-2.282 is replaced by the following:











‘CA

Canada


CA-2.282


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


13.10.2025


13.2.2026




GBM


P1


 


13.10.2025


13.2.2026’














(b)


in the entry for Canada, the row for the zone CA-2.319 is replaced by the following:











‘CA

Canada


CA-2.319


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


2.12.2025


11.2.2026




GBM


P1


 


2.12.2025


11.2.2026’














(c)


in the entry for Canada, the rows for the zones CA-2.323 and CA-2.324 are replaced by the following:











‘CA

Canada


CA-2.323


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


5.12.2025


14.2.2026




GBM


P1


 


5.12.2025


14.2.2026




CA-2.324


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


11.12.2025


7.2.2026




GBM


P1


 


11.12.2025


7.2.2026’














(d)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.412 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.412


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


5.11.2025


12.2.2026




GBM


P1


 


5.11.2025


12.2.2026’














(e)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.420 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.420


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


9.11.2025


9.2.2026




GBM


P1


 


9.11.2025


9.2.2026’














(f)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.428 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.428


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


19.11.2025


5.2.2026




GBM


P1


 


19.11.2025


5.2.2026’














(g)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.431 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.431


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


24.11.2025


9.2.2026




GBM


P1


 


24.11.2025


9.2.2026’














(h)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.435 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.435


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


29.11.2025


10.2.2026




GBM


P1


 


29.11.2025


10.2.2026’














(i)


in the entry for the United Kingdom, the row for the zone GB-2.453 is replaced by the following:











‘GB

United Kingdom


GB-2.453


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


27.12.2025


9.2.2026




GBM


P1


 


27.12.2025


9.2.2026’














(j)


in the entry for the United States, the following rows for the zones US-2.1256 to 2.1266 are added after the row for the zone US-2.1255:











‘US

United States


US-2.1256


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


3.2.2026


 




GBM


P1


 


3.2.2026


 




US-2.1257


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


3.2.2026


 




GBM


P1


 


3.2.2026


 




US-2.1258


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


4.2.2026


 




GBM


P1


 


4.2.2026


 




US-2.1259


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


3.2.2026


 




GBM


P1


 


3.2.2026


 




US-2.1260


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


3.2.2026


 




GBM


P1


 


3.2.2026


 




US-2.1261


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


4.2.2026


 




GBM


P1


 


4.2.2026


 




US-2.1262


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


6.2.2026


 




GBM


P1


 


6.2.2026


 




US-2.1263


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


9.2.2026


 




GBM


P1


 


9.2.2026


 




US-2.1264


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


10.2.2026


 




GBM


P1


 


10.2.2026


 




US-2.1265


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


10.2.2026


 




GBM


P1


 


10.2.2026


 




US-2.1266


POU, RAT


N, P1


 


11.2.2026


 




GBM


P1


 


11.2.2026’


 















ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/425/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)