Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Cyprus 2026: Urgent Restrictions for Livestock Farmers and Importers

Key data

Exports of meat, dairy products and live animals from the affected areas of Cyprus have been suspended or blocked as of March 11, 2026. The European Commission has adopted the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/582, which repeals the previous Decision 2026/484 and strengthens measures against the active foot-and-mouth disease outbreak detected in the country.

This decision is mandatory for compliance by all operators in the agri-food sector working with animal-origin products from Cyprus, both within the country and in the rest of the EU Member States.

What does this regulation establish?

Decision 2026/582 introduces an emergency control framework structured around two types of geographical zones with different levels of restriction:

In addition to the zones, the regulation establishes the following specific obligations for operators:

• Apply reinforced biosecurity protocols in livestock farms and meat processing plants located in Cyprus.
• Comply with notification obligations to the competent authorities in case of suspected or confirmed cases.
• Provide evidence through additional health certifications for any export authorized from the affected areas.
• Importers in other Member States must verify the origin of all goods from Cyprus before acceptance.

This decision repeals and replaces Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/484, the previous regulation on the same outbreak. The change implies a tightening of the regulatory framework: the new decision expands or reinforces the measures already established, adapting them to the evolution of the outbreak.

Economic and operational impact

The most immediate impact is the disruption of agri-food supply chains that depend on animal-origin products from Cyprus. Affected companies face three types of operational consequences:

• Suspension of exports: Operators in Cyprus cannot export from the affected areas without additional health certification, which generates delays, administrative costs and possible loss of contracts.
• Biosecurity costs: The implementation of reinforced protocols in farms and processing plants requires investment in control measures, training and documentation.
• Risk of goods rejection: Importers in other Member States that fail to verify the origin of shipments may face rejection of batches at the border or additional controls by health authorities.

The measure is temporary in nature, but may be extended depending on the epidemiological evolution of the outbreak. This introduces uncertainty in contract planning and medium-term supplies for all companies in the chain.

Who does it affect?

• Livestock farmers in Cyprus with ungulate farms located in the protection or surveillance zones defined by the decision.
• Meat industry in Cyprus: processing plants, slaughterhouses and operators that process or distribute ungulate meat.
• Dairy industry in Cyprus: milk producers and processors and dairy product operators in the affected areas.
• Cypriot exporters of animal products operating towards other EU Member States.
• European importers (including Spanish ones) that receive or manage shipments of meat, dairy products or live animals from Cyprus.
• Logistics operators and distributors that manage transits of goods of Cypriot origin within the EU.

Practical example

A Spanish dairy product importing company has a monthly supply contract with a Cypriot producer. Following the entry into force of Decision 2026/582 on March 11, 2026, the first mandatory step is to verify whether the supplier is located in a protection or surveillance zone defined by the regulation.

If the supplier is in an affected zone, the goods can only be accepted if accompanied by the additional health certification required by the decision. Without that certification, the importer cannot accept the shipment without incurring regulatory non-compliance and risk of rejection by Spanish health authorities.

If the supplier cannot prove that it is outside the restricted zones, the importing company must suspend the order and seek alternative suppliers until the epidemiological situation is resolved or the European Commission lifts the restrictions.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify the origin of all supplies from Cyprus: Verify whether Cypriot suppliers are located in protection or surveillance zones defined by Decision 2026/582. Request supporting documentation from the supplier.
2. Review active supply contracts: Assess whether contracts with Cypriot operators include force majeure or health contingency clauses that allow suspension or renegotiation without penalty.
3. Require additional health certification: For any shipment from Cyprus that you wish to accept, request the health certification required by the regulation before accepting the goods.
4. Apply reinforced biosecurity protocols (operators in Cyprus): Immediately implement the protocols required in livestock farms and meat processing plants, and document their compliance for possible inspections.
5. Establish a system to monitor the evolution of the outbreak: The measure may be extended or modified. Monitor updates from the European Commission on EUR-Lex and the EU health alert system to react in time to changes.
6. Consult with national health authorities: In Spain, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food can provide guidance on controls applicable to imports from Cyprus in the context of this decision.