Importing poultry from Canada, Chile and the USA: which zones are blocked in 2026

Key data

European importers working with poultry supply chains from Canada, Chile or the United States must urgently review the status of their suppliers' zones of origin. The Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/853, in force since 10 April 2026, amends Annexes V and XIV of Regulation 2021/404 and updates which zones in these three countries are authorized to export to the European Union.

The reason is the evolution of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in these countries. The EU applies the principle of sanitary regionalization: it does not block the entire country, but only the geographical zones with active outbreaks. This means that the map of authorized zones changes with each regulatory update, and what was valid weeks ago may not be valid today.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation 2026/853 amends two annexes of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404, which is the framework regulation governing third countries authorized to export animals and animal products to the EU:

The specific changes affect the entries corresponding to Canada, Chile and the United States in both annexes. The zones in these countries affected by HPAI outbreaks are temporarily suspended, while other zones that have overcome outbreaks or have not been affected are enabled or rehabilitated as authorized zones.

The regulation is directly applicable in all EU Member States from its entry into force, without the need for national transposition. This includes Spain.

Economic and operational impact

The impact is not abstract: a shipment arriving at the border from a suspended zone is rejected. This entails return, destruction or re-shipment costs, in addition to the loss of the value of the goods and logistics costs already incurred.

The specific operational effects for importing companies are:

• Risk of border rejection if the supplier operates from a zone that has been suspended following the latest HPAI outbreak.
• Need to diversify suppliers towards currently authorized zones within Canada, Chile or the USA, or towards other countries of origin.
• Increased administrative burden to verify and document the exact zonal origin of each shipment, not just the country of origin.
• Opportunity for suppliers in rehabilitated zones: zones that regain authorization can resume supplying the European market, which can generate new sourcing opportunities.

The frequency of these regulatory updates—linked to the epidemiological evolution of HPAI—requires importers to actively monitor changes in the annexes of Regulation 2021/404, as each modification can alter the status of their usual suppliers' zones.

Who does it affect?

• Spanish and European importers of live poultry from Canada, Chile or the USA.
• Importers of poultry reproductive products (fertile eggs, day-old chicks, etc.) from these three countries.
• Importers of fresh poultry meat and game birds originating in Canada, Chile or the USA.
• Logistics operators and customs agents who manage the clearance of these shipments at EU border inspection posts.
• Food distributors and wholesalers whose supply chain depends on these imports.
• Procurement and supply chain departments of food companies with supplies from these countries.

Practical example

A Spanish importing company has a regular supply contract with a turkey meat producer located in a region of the United States. Until last week, that zone was authorized in Annex XIV of Regulation 2021/404.

With the entry into force of Regulation 2026/853 on 10 April 2026, that zone has been suspended due to a new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The company has a shipment in transit.

Upon arrival at the EU border inspection post, the shipment is rejected because the health certificate certifies an origin in a zone that is no longer authorized. The company must bear the costs of returning or destroying the goods, plus the logistics costs of international transport already executed.

If the company had verified the status of its supplier's zone before shipment—by consulting the updated annexes of Regulation 2021/404 following the publication of Regulation 2026/853—it could have redirected the order to another supplier located in a still-authorized zone within the USA, or suspended the shipment temporarily.

What should companies do now?

1. Immediately consult the updated Annexes V and XIV of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404, as amended by Regulation 2026/853, to verify the current status of your suppliers' zones in Canada, Chile and the USA.
2. Contact your suppliers in these three countries to confirm that they operate from currently authorized zones and request documentation to prove it.
3. Review shipments in transit or pending shipment: if the zonal origin is not authorized, stop the shipment before it reaches the border to avoid rejection and associated costs.
4. Update your supplier verification procedures to include checking the authorized zone status for each order, not just at initial supplier approval.
5. Establish a regulatory alert system on modifications to Regulation 2021/404, as updates due to HPAI outbreaks are frequent and can affect your supply zones without prior notice.
6. Consider diversifying the geographical origin of your suppliers within each country, or towards other authorized countries, to reduce dependence on zones with higher epidemiological risk.