Contagious Bovine Nodular Dermatitis in Italy 2026: cattle restrictions affecting Spanish trade

Key data

Operators working with cattle from Italy have faced a concrete problem since 12 June 2026: the European Commission has updated the annexes of Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582, which regulates emergency measures against contagious bovine nodular dermatitis (CBND) in Italian territory. The official reference is Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1355, notified under number C(2026) 4088.

CBND is a viral disease that affects exclusively cattle and can cause serious economic losses in the sector: animal mortality, decline in milk production, trade restrictions and high veterinary costs. The update of the annexes implies changes in the restriction zones, in the conditions for animal movement and in the applicable sanitary control measures.

What does this regulation establish?

This decision modifies the annexes of Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1582, which was the base regulation that established emergency measures against CBND in Italy. The modification of the annexes is the usual mechanism used by the Commission to update the affected geographical zones and technical control conditions without needing to rewrite the entire original decision.

The elements that are typically updated in this type of annex modifications are:

• Delimitation and update of the restriction zones in Italy (protection zones, surveillance zones and additional restriction zones)
• Conditions for the movement of cattle within and outside the affected zones
• Requirements for sanitary and veterinary control applicable to farms in restricted zones
• Conditions for intra-community trade in cattle and derived products from the affected zones

Economic and operational impact

CBND can cause serious economic losses in the cattle farming sector. Direct impacts on farms in restricted zones include the inability to move or trade animals normally, which paralyzes sales, transfers to fairs and slaughterhouses, and movements between farms.

For Spanish operators, the impact is indirect but real: any import of live cattle or genetic material (semen, embryos) from the restricted areas in Italy is blocked or subject to additional controls. This can affect:

• Companies importing cattle of Italian breeds (Piedmontese, Chianina, Marchigiana)
• Intra-community trade operators that use Italy as a transit or origin country
• Spanish farms that acquire breeding stock or genetic material of Italian origin

The cost of non-compliance with movement restrictions is not quantified in the regulation, but the risk of introducing the disease into Spanish territory would imply national emergency measures with potentially much higher costs than any operational savings.

Who does it affect?

• Cattle farmers in Italy located in the updated restriction zones: are subject to limitations on movement and trade of their animals
• Commercial operators in the EU who buy, sell or transport cattle with origin or destination in the affected Italian zones
• Spanish importers of cattle from Italy: must verify that animals do not come from restricted zones
• Veterinary authorities of the Member States: obliged to apply the updated controls at border and at destination
• Transporters and logistics companies specialized in the movement of live animals between Italy and other EU countries
• Slaughterhouses and processing plants that receive cattle of Italian origin

Practical example

A livestock farm in Castilla y León, Spain, plans to import 30 Piedmontese heifers from a farm in northern Italy to renew its breeding herd. Before formalizing the purchase and transport, the operator must:

1. Verify with the Italian seller whether the farm of origin is located within any of the updated restriction zones in the new annexes of Decision 2026/1355
2. If the farm is in a restricted zone, the movement is blocked or subject to special conditions that must be met before authorizing the transfer
3. If the farm is outside a restricted zone, the operator must obtain the updated sanitary documentation that certifies that the animals come from a CBND-free zone according to the new annexes
4. Communicate the movement to the competent Spanish veterinary authority for destination controls

Failing to verify this point before the operation can result in rejection of the animals at the border, their retention in quarantine facilities and unbudgeted additional costs.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify the exact geographical origin of any cattle or bovine genetic material being negotiated or transported from Italy, and cross-reference it with the updated restriction zones in the new annexes of Decision 2026/1355.
2. Temporarily halt any purchase or transfer operation of cattle from Italy until confirming that the farm of origin is not in a restricted zone.
3. Contact the Italian supplier to request updated veterinary documentation that certifies the sanitary status of the farm according to the new regulation.
4. Inform the competent veterinary authority (in Spain, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or the corresponding regional department) about any planned movement from potentially affected zones.
5. Review purchase and sale contracts of animals with Italian suppliers to include clauses that cover the risk of unforeseen sanitary restrictions.
6. Stay updated on the evolution of restriction zones, as the Commission may modify the annexes again if the disease advances or recedes in Italy.

Official source

Consult full 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_202601355