New restricted zones due to ASF in the EU 2026: what livestock farmers and transporters must review

Key data

If you move pigs, pork products or manage facilities in any EU Member State, this regulation affects you from 24 August 2026. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1961 updates the restriction zones for African swine fever (ASF) in response to the epidemiological evolution of the disease in different countries of the Union.

The most operationally relevant change is twofold: the Annexes I and II of Regulation 2023/594 are updated—which are the official map of restricted zones—and the Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1937 is repealed, which imposed provisional emergency measures specific to Finland, as that phase of the health crisis in that country is considered to have been overcome.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation 2023/594 is the general framework for ASF control in the EU. Its Annexes I and II contain the updated list of sanitary restriction zones classified by risk level. When the epidemiological situation changes—whether because the disease advances, recedes or is detected in new areas—the European Commission issues an Implementing Regulation that modifies those annexes.

Regulation 2026/1961 does exactly that: updates the delimited zones in different Member States to reflect the actual situation of the disease as of August 2026. The following table summarizes the regulatory changes it introduces:

The repeal of Decision 2026/1937 for Finland is a positive sign: it indicates that the epidemiological situation in that country has improved sufficiently to lift the provisional emergency measures. However, this does not mean that Finland is free of restrictions: the country will continue to be subject to the general regime of Regulation 2023/594 with the zones listed in the new Annexes I and II.

Economic and operational impact

ASF restrictions are not merely administrative: they directly condition the movements of live animals and pork products between zones and between Member States. The concrete operational consequences are:

• Movement blockades: animals and products originating from restricted zones cannot circulate freely to non-restricted zones without meeting additional requirements or, in some cases, cannot move at all.
• Intra-community trade blockades: non-compliance with restrictions can result in rejection of shipments at destination, with the associated costs of return, destruction or quarantine.
• Sanctions: non-compliance with movement restrictions can result in administrative sanctions, the amount of which depends on the national legislation of each Member State.
• Impact on contracts and supplies: if a facility is included in a new restricted zone, it may be forced to renegotiate or suspend existing supply contracts.

For companies operating under Decision 2026/1937 in Finland, the repeal means the elimination of the specific emergency restrictions that that decision imposed, which may reopen commercial routes that were blocked.

Who does it affect?

• Pig farmers with farms in zones that have been included, expanded or modified in the new Annexes I and II.
• Slaughterhouses that receive or process animals from restricted zones or whose facilities are located within them.
• Live animal transporters whose regular routes cross or have origin/destination in restricted zones.
• Pig and pork product traders operating in intra-community trade and needing to certify the origin and health status of their goods.
• Operators in Finland that were subject to the emergency measures of Decision 2026/1937, now repealed.

Practical example

Imagine a Spanish transport company that has regular contracts for moving live pigs from a farm in Poland to a slaughterhouse in Germany. Before the publication of Regulation 2026/1961, that route was operational because the area of origin was not listed in Annexes I or II of Regulation 2023/594.

Following the update of the annexes, the company must verify whether the Polish area of origin has been included or modified in the new map of restricted zones. If it now appears in Annex II as a higher-level restriction zone, the movement of live animals to Germany could be prohibited or conditional on additional controls. Continuing to operate without verifying this change exposes the company to rejection of the shipment at destination, return costs and possible sanctions in the destination country.

Similarly, a Finnish operator that had exports blocked by Decision 2026/1937 can now review whether, with its repeal, it recovers the possibility of exporting under the general regime of Regulation 2023/594.

What should companies do now?

1. Consult the updated Annexes I and II of Regulation 2023/594 as they stand after the modification introduced by Regulation 2026/1961, available on EUR-Lex. Verify whether your own facilities or those of suppliers and customers fall within any restricted zone.
2. Review regular transport routes to identify whether they cross zones that have been modified or newly included in the annexes.
3. Update sanitary certification procedures for movements of animals and pork products to reflect the new status of affected zones.
4. Communicate changes to the supply chain: inform suppliers, customers and transporters of any variation in the status of zones that affect them.
5. For operators in Finland: review which specific restrictions of Decision 2026/1937 have been lifted with its repeal and what general regime of Regulation 2023/594 now applies to them.
6. Consult the competent veterinary authority of the corresponding Member State to confirm the updated status of each zone and the movement requirements in force.

Official source

Consult complete 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_202601961