Sheep and goat pox in Greece 2026: what changes for livestock farmers and exporters

Key data

Operators working with sheep and goats from Greece face a new map of restrictions as of 8 April 2026. The European Commission has adopted Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/838 (CELEX reference 32026D0838, notified as C(2026) 2434), which amends Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207 and adjusts the restricted zones and conditions applicable to the movement of these species and their derived products within Greek territory and to other Member States.

The objective is to contain the spread of sheep pox and goat pox within Greece and prevent its extension to the rest of the EU. The decision is immediately applicable and binding on all Member States, which means it affects not only Greek operators but any company in the EU that receives or moves animals or products from the affected zones.

What does this regulation establish?

Decision 2026/838 amends Decision 2024/2207, which was the emergency framework in place against sheep and goat pox in Greece. The specific changes it introduces are as follows:

• Update of restricted zones: The perimeters of the zones within Greek territory where movement restrictions apply are adjusted. The exact boundaries are set out in the annex to the decision published in the Official Journal of the EU on 15 April 2026.
• Animal movement conditions: The animal health requirements applicable to the transport and marketing of sheep and goats from the affected zones are updated, both within Greece and in intra-Community movements.
• Derived products: The restrictions also extend to derived products from sheep and goats originating from the restricted zones.
• Immediate application: The decision is binding from its date of adoption, 8 April 2026, for all EU Member States.

Economic and operational impact

The operational implications for sector operators are direct and immediate. The main effects are:

• Marketing restrictions: Sheep and goats from the updated restricted zones cannot move freely to other Member States without complying with the specific animal health requirements established in the decision.
• Certification and documentation costs: Intra-Community movements of affected animals or products will require additional animal health documentation and, where applicable, veterinary controls that entail administrative and logistical costs.
• Risk of shipment blocking: Operators who fail to verify the origin of animals or products could see their shipments blocked at intra-Community border controls, with the resulting impact on timelines and costs.
• Impact on the supply chain: Livestock farmers, intermediaries, slaughterhouses and transporters operating with animals of Greek origin must review their supply chains to identify whether any supplier operates in now-restricted zones.

Who does it affect?

• Greek livestock farmers with farms in the updated restricted zones: subject to the revised movement conditions for their animals.
• Traders of sheep and goats operating with animals from Greece, regardless of the Member State in which they are established.
• Transporters moving sheep, goats or derived products from the affected zones of Greece to other points in the EU.
• Importers and distributors in any EU Member State that receive animals or products of these species originating in Greece.
• Slaughterhouses and processing plants working with animals from Greek restricted zones.
• Competent authorities of all Member States, obliged to apply and monitor compliance with the measures.

Practical example

A Greek lamb exporter operating in a zone that, following the update of Decision 2026/838, is now included in the new restricted perimeter, cannot make shipments to a buyer in Spain without demonstrating compliance with the updated animal health requirements for intra-Community movements.

If the Spanish buyer receives the animals without verifying that the Greek supplier complies with the new conditions, the shipment may be intercepted at the corresponding controls. The Spanish operator must therefore request from its supplier the updated animal health documentation in accordance with Decision 2026/838 before formalizing any order originating in Greece.

Similarly, a Spanish transporter who regularly moves goats from Greece to European markets must check whether the farms of origin have fallen within the new restricted zones and, if so, ensure that it has the required documentation before starting transport.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify the origin of animals and products: Verify whether the sheep, goats or derived products being marketed, transported or received come from Greece and, specifically, from any of the now-restricted zones according to Decision 2026/838.
2. Consult the annex to the decision: Review the full text published in the Official Journal of the EU on 15 April 2026 to learn the exact boundaries of the updated restricted zones.
3. Update documentary requirements: Ensure that all animal health documentation for intra-Community movements of sheep and goats from Greece complies with the new requirements established in the decision.
4. Communicate changes to suppliers and customers: Inform the supply chain (Greek suppliers, transporters, buyers) of the new requirements to avoid blockages or delays in shipments.
5. Contact the competent veterinary authority: In case of doubt about whether a specific farm or zone is affected, consult with the national veterinary authority or the corresponding animal health service before making any movement.
6. Review contracts and commercial terms: Assess whether the new restrictions affect ongoing supply contracts and whether it is necessary to activate force majeure clauses or renegotiate terms.