New ASF control zones 2026: what pig farmers and exporters must review

Key data

If you operate in the European pig sector, you have an urgent task: check whether your facility or transport routes have been included in the new risk zones established by the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1908, published on 31 July 2026 and in force from the previous day. This regulation amends Annex I of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, which is the European framework for special control measures against African swine fever (ASF).

ASF has no cure or commercially available vaccine. That is why the European Union manages the risk through zoning: each territory is classified according to its level of health risk, and that classification determines what you can move, where and with what documentation. When the map changes, the rules of the game change for thousands of operators.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation 2026/1908 updates Annex I of Regulation 2023/594, which contains the list of geographic zones classified by level of health risk from ASF. This zonal classification is the basis on which all operational restrictions in the sector are applied.

The elements determined by zoning are as follows:

• Movement of live animals: which pigs can be transported, between which zones and under what health conditions.
• Movement of pork products: fresh meat, meat preparations, processed products and by-products.
• Genetic material: semen, ova and porcine embryos.
• Health documentation: the certificates and protocols required vary depending on the zone of origin and destination.

The regulation being amended, Regulation 2023/594, already established this zoning system. Regulation 2026/1908 updates the map: some zones may have expanded their perimeter, others reduced, and new areas not previously classified may have been incorporated. Operators must consult the updated Annex I in the official text to know exactly which territories are affected.

Economic and operational impact

The reclassification of zones is not a minor administrative change. It has direct consequences for the operations and bottom line of any company in the sector:

• Export blockade: if a facility is included in a higher-risk zone, products originating from it may lose access to third-country markets that require health guarantees about the zone of origin.
• Compliance costs: adapting biosecurity protocols, updating health documentation and reviewing logistics contracts requires time and resources.
• Risk of penalties: non-compliance with zonal restrictions can result in administrative penalties and blockage of merchandise movement.
• Impact on the logistics chain: transport operators must check whether their usual routes cross or have origin/destination in reclassified zones.

Conversely, if a zone in which you operate has been removed from risk classification, an opportunity opens up: regain access to markets or reduce documentary and biosecurity burdens that were previously mandatory.

Who does it affect?

• Pig farmers and farms located in zones included in the updated Annex I.
• Slaughterhouses that slaughter animals from risk zones or located within them.
• Meat operators and processors working with raw materials originating in classified zones.
• Exporters of pork products to third countries, especially those with health agreements requiring guarantees of ASF-free zones.
• Logistics operators and transporters with routes that cross or have origin/destination in risk zones.
• Porcine insemination centres and genetic material operators (semen, ova, embryos).

Practical example

Imagine a meat company with a slaughterhouse in a region that, with the update to Annex I, is included in an ASF risk zone. Until now, that company exported fresh pork products to a third country with which the EU has a health agreement. That agreement requires that products come from ASF-free zones or zones with recognized health status.

From the entry into force of Regulation 2026/1908 (30 July 2026), that company must:

1. Verify whether its location zone appears in the updated Annex I and with what risk classification.
2. Check whether commercial agreements with the destination country allow export from that classified zone.
3. Update the health documentation accompanying shipments, incorporating references to the new zoning.
4. Review and strengthen the biosecurity protocols required for facilities in risk zones.

If it does not act, the shipment may be rejected at the border or the company may face penalties for non-compliance with zonal restrictions.

What should companies do now?

1. Consult the updated Annex I of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1908 to verify whether the location of your farm, slaughterhouse or facility is included in any classified zone.
2. Review logistics routes and check whether the origin, destination or transit of your goods crosses reclassified zones.
3. Update health documentation for all movements of live animals, pork products and genetic material affected by the new zoning.
4. Adapt biosecurity protocols to the requirements for the zones in which your company operates according to the new classification.
5. Verify the impact on exports to third countries: check whether current health agreements allow export from the zones in which you are now classified.
6. Inform customers and business partners of possible changes in supply conditions resulting from the new zoning.
7. Consult the competent veterinary authority of your autonomous community or Member State to confirm the interpretation of the new classification and its effects on your specific activity.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202601908