Avian flu 2026: updated restriction zones for poultry holdings

Key data

Poultry holdings and egg and poultry meat producers in Member States affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks must immediately review their situation. The corrigendum published on 30 March 2026 (CELEX:32026D0721R(01)) adjusts Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/721, which in turn amends the annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2447, the European regulatory framework governing restriction zones and the sanitary measures applicable in territories with active outbreaks.

Although formally a corrigendum, its effects are immediate and concrete: the delimitation of control zones may have changed, directly affecting which operators are subject to restrictions and which are not.

What does this regulation establish?

Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2447 is the European instrument governing emergency measures against highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in certain Member States. Its annex defines the restriction zones: delimited territories where strict controls apply to the movement of live birds and derived products.

Decision 2026/721, published on 24 March 2026, updated that annex to reflect the epidemiological situation in the affected Member States. The corrigendum now published (30/03/2026) corrects technical errors detected in that update, which could affect the precise delimitation of the control zones.

Economic and operational impact

For poultry holdings, being inside or outside a restriction zone is not an administrative detail: it determines whether they can or cannot move their animals and products to market. The operational consequences are direct:

• Movement restrictions: Live birds, eggs and poultry meat from restriction zones cannot circulate freely within the European internal market without meeting specific sanitary requirements.
• Commercial blockage: Non-compliance with restrictions can lead to trade restrictions both at national level and in the European internal market, with a consequent impact on sales and contracts.
• Administrative penalties: Operators who do not adapt their operations to the updated zones are exposed to penalties from the competent authorities of their Member State.
• Compliance costs: Holdings in restriction zones must apply additional sanitary measures, entailing direct operational costs: enhanced biosecurity, veterinary controls, movement documentation.

The technical correction of zone delimitation may mean that holdings previously not subject to restrictions now are, or vice versa. Both scenarios require immediate action.

Who is affected?

• Poultry holdings located in EU Member States with active highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks, especially those situated in or near the restriction zones delimited in the annex to Decision 2023/2447.
• Egg producers in affected zones, whose marketing capacity depends directly on whether their holding is inside or outside the control zones.
• Poultry meat producers subject to movement restrictions on live birds and processed products from restriction zones.
• Logistics operators and carriers moving birds or poultry products between Member States, who must verify the status of the zones of origin and destination.
• Veterinary advisors and farm technicians responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance at affected farms.
• Importers and exporters of poultry products operating with Member States with active outbreaks.

Practical example

A poultry farm producing eggs located in a Member State with active highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks must verify whether its municipality or geographical area appears in the updated annex to Decision 2023/2447 following the correction of 30 March 2026.

If the technical correction has modified the delimitation of the restriction zone and the farm has been included in it, the operator must immediately apply the sanitary measures established for that zone: restriction of movements of birds and eggs, reinforcement of biosecurity and notification to the competent authority. Marketing eggs outside the authorised channels for restriction zones without meeting these requirements exposes the operator to administrative penalties and the blocking of their shipments in the European internal market.

Conversely, if the correction has excluded the farm from the restriction zone where it previously appeared, the operator may resume normal marketing, always subject to prior confirmation with the competent veterinary authority of their Member State.

What should businesses do now?

1. Consult the updated annex: Access Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/721 and its corrigendum (CELEX:32026D0721R(01)) on EUR-Lex to verify the exact delimitation of the restriction zones in force from 24 March 2026.
2. Verify the situation of each holding: Check whether the location of each farm or production facility falls within or outside the restriction zones following the technical correction.
3. Contact the competent veterinary authority: Notify any change in situation and obtain official confirmation of the holding's status before modifying movements of birds or products.
4. Review contracts and commercial commitments: If the holding has been included in a restriction zone, assess the impact on existing supply contracts and communicate the situation to customers as soon as possible.
5. Apply the corresponding sanitary measures: Implement the biosecurity and movement control protocols required for the zone in which the holding is located, documenting all actions taken.
6. Maintain active monitoring: Restriction zones are updated frequently depending on epidemiological developments. Establish a system for monitoring amendments to the annex of Decision 2023/2447 in order to react quickly to new changes.

Official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, please consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=CELEX:32026D0721R(01)