Foot-and-mouth disease in Greece 2026: restrictions on animal and livestock product trade

Key data

Intra-EU trade in live animals and animal products from Greece is subject to restrictions due to an active outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/820, adopted on April 1, 2026 and published on April 8, requires restrictions on movement from affected Greek areas and obliges all operators in the supply chain—from the farmer at origin to the recipient at destination—to strengthen their controls.

This decision repeals and replaces the previous Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/732, updating the framework of emergency measures in response to the evolution of the outbreak.

What does this regulation establish?

Decision 2026/820 establishes a set of emergency health measures against foot-and-mouth disease detected in Greece. Its objective is to contain the outbreak and prevent the spread of this highly contagious disease to other EU Member States.

The main measures are:

• Restriction on the movement of susceptible animals from affected areas of Greece to other Member States.
• Restriction on the movement of animal products from those areas.
• Obligation to apply enhanced controls both at origin (Greece) and at destination (receiving Member State).
• Coordination between operators and competent authorities to ensure compliance.

The animal species susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease covered by this decision are:

The regulation also has direct implications for intra-EU trade in animal products derived from these species when they originate from affected areas of Greece.

Change from the previous regulation: Decision 2026/820 expressly repeals Decision 2026/732. Although available data do not detail the changes article by article, the replacement implies an update of the measures in response to the evolution of the outbreak, maintaining the framework of movement restrictions and strengthening controls.

Economic and operational impact

For operators working with livestock or animal products from Greece, the impact is immediate and operational:

• Suspension of shipments: movements of live animals and products from affected areas of Greece to other Member States are restricted. Any ongoing operation must be reviewed.
• Control costs at destination: receiving operators in other EU countries must implement enhanced controls, which may entail additional veterinary inspection costs and goods retention.
• Risk of rejection at intra-EU border: shipments that do not meet the requirements of the decision may be rejected by the competent authorities of the destination Member State.
• Impact on supply chain: meat companies, processing industries and distributors that depend on Greek supply must seek alternative sources or anticipate delays.

Foot-and-mouth disease is one of the animal diseases with the greatest economic impact internationally. Its presence in a country automatically activates emergency protocols that affect trade, production and the reputation of the livestock sector in international markets.

Who does it affect?

• Livestock farmers with cattle, pig, sheep or goat operations in affected areas of Greece.
• Commercial operators exporting live animals or animal products from Greece to other EU Member States.
• Importers and distributors in other EU countries receiving animals or products from Greece.
• Meat and processing industries using raw materials of Greek origin.
• Competent veterinary authorities in Greece and in receiving Member States, responsible for applying enhanced controls.
• Hauliers and logistics operators managing the movement of live animals or animal products in the intra-EU context originating in Greece.

Practical example

A Spanish operator that has contracted regular supply of live lambs from an affected area of Greece for its slaughterhouse in Spain finds that, as of April 1, 2026, this movement is restricted by Decision 2026/820.

In practice, this means that:

1. The planned shipment cannot be executed until the Greek veterinary authorities certify that the animals do not come from an affected area or until the restrictions are lifted.
2. If the shipment is already in transit, the veterinary authorities at the point of entry in Spain may retain the goods to verify their origin and apply the enhanced controls required by the decision.
3. The Spanish operator must notify its competent authority and review its supply contracts to assess whether it can activate force majeure clauses or seek alternative suppliers outside affected areas.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify the origin of your supplies: check whether any of your suppliers of live animals or animal products (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats) operate in affected areas of Greece.
2. Review shipments in transit: if you have operations in transit from Greece, contact your supplier and your competent veterinary authority to verify whether they are affected by the restrictions.
3. Apply enhanced controls at destination: if you are a recipient of Greek animals or products, implement the control protocols required by the decision before accepting any shipment.
4. Review supply contracts: assess whether you can activate force majeure clauses or whether you need to seek alternative suppliers outside affected areas.
5. Coordinate with your veterinary authority: maintain active communication with the competent authorities to learn about the evolution of the outbreak and possible updates to restricted areas.
6. Document all actions: record the controls applied, communications with suppliers and authorities, and any decisions taken in response to this regulation. This is key in the event of an inspection.