Sheep and Goat Pox in Bulgaria 2026: What Changes for EU Importers and Livestock Farmers

Key data

Importers and transporters of sheep and goats from Bulgaria face new operating conditions from 14 July 2026. The European Commission has adopted Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1746, which amends Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1160 — the emergency regulation approved in 2025 to contain outbreaks of sheep and goat pox detected in Bulgarian territory.

The objective is to prevent the disease from spreading to the rest of the European Union. To this end, the regulation updates the restricted zones, tightens or adjusts the conditions for animal movement and establishes new health requirements. Non-compliance has direct and immediate consequences: rejection of consignments at the border or administrative sanctions.

What does this regulation establish?

This Implementing Decision is an amendment to the emergency regulation approved in 2025. It does not start from scratch: it updates and adjusts what was already established in Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1160 to reflect the evolution of sheep and goat pox outbreaks in Bulgaria.

The three axes of change it introduces are:

• Delimitation of restricted zones: The geographic perimeters within Bulgaria where restrictions apply are updated. Operators must verify whether the farms or points of origin of their animals fall within or outside these zones.
• Conditions for animal movement: The requirements for the transfer of sheep and goats from the affected zones are modified, both within Bulgaria and to other EU Member States.
• Health requirements: The conditions that animals and consignments must meet in order to circulate or be imported are updated, including documentation, controls and health certifications.

The regulation has the character of an emergency measure, which means that its application is immediate and takes priority over any commercial agreement or usual practice of animal movement.

Economic and operational impact

The most direct and costly impact for operators is the rejection of consignments at the border. A rejected consignment of sheep or goats involves return costs, quarantine, veterinary management and, in many cases, total loss of animal value if they cannot be returned in viable conditions.

At the operational level, the changes affect the entire chain:

• Health documentation: Certifications issued under the 2025 regulation may not be valid if they do not reflect the new 2026 requirements. Each shipment must be verified.
• Routes and origins: If animals come from zones that now fall within the new restricted perimeters, movement conditions change even if they were not previously affected.
• Delivery schedules: Additional border controls may extend transit times, with the consequent impact on animal welfare and supply contracts.
• Administrative sanctions: Non-compliance with the new requirements may result in sanctions, the amount of which depends on the legislation of each receiving Member State.

Who does it affect?

• Bulgarian livestock farmers with sheep or goat farms in the updated restricted zones.
• Bulgarian exporters of sheep and goats to other EU Member States.
• Importers in the EU receiving consignments of sheep or goats from Bulgaria.
• Transport and logistics companies operating routes originating in Bulgaria for these species.
• Slaughterhouses and processing plants receiving live animals from Bulgaria.
• Official and private veterinarians certifying consignments of these species originating in Bulgaria.
• Competent authorities of Member States at border inspection posts.

Practical example

A Spanish importer who has contracted the purchase of a batch of lambs from a farm in Bulgaria must, before authorizing the shipment, verify two things:

1. Whether the farm of origin falls within the restricted zones updated by Decision 2026/1746. If so, the movement is subject to the new health and documentation requirements.
2. Whether the health certificate accompanying the consignment reflects the requirements in force from 14 July 2026 and not those of the previous 2025 regulation.

If either of these two points is not met, the consignment may be retained or rejected at the border inspection post in Spain, with all the associated costs: return of animals, emergency veterinary management, possible slaughter if animal welfare is compromised, and loss of commercial value of the batch.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify the geographic origin of animals: Check whether the Bulgarian supplier farms fall within the restricted zones updated by Decision 2026/1746. Contact the Bulgarian supplier directly or the competent veterinary authority in Bulgaria.
2. Review health documentation in progress: Any certification issued before 14 July 2026 must be checked against the new requirements. If there are shipments in transit, contact the transporter and official veterinarian to assess the situation.
3. Temporarily halt shipments in doubt: If compliance with the new requirements cannot be confirmed, it is preferable to delay the shipment rather than risk border rejection, which has a much higher economic cost.
4. Consult the competent authority of the destination Member State: Each Member State may have specific procedures at its border inspection posts. Confirm entry requirements before authorizing the shipment.
5. Update contracts with Bulgarian suppliers: Include clauses that transfer responsibility for compliance with health regulations to the Bulgarian exporter, with penalties in case of consignment rejection due to non-compliance.
6. Monitor the evolution of outbreaks: Emergency measures are updated frequently according to disease evolution. Establish an alert system to detect new regulatory amendments immediately.

Official source

Consult full regulation at official source — Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1746

Notice: 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_202601746