FMD: Restrictions on fresh beef and game meat from Eswatini

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1200 of 12 June 2025 amending Annexes V, XIII and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the entries for Canada, Eswatini, the United Kingdom and the United States in the lists of third countries, territories or zones thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, fresh meat of bovine animals, farmed and wild game ungulates and fresh meat of poultry and game birds

Update

Following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle, sheep, and goats, the European Union (EU) has suspended Eswatini's authorisation in the list of non-EU countries that meet EU animal health requirements for fresh meat.

Impacted Products

beef, game meat

What is changing?

Prior to this Regulation, Eswatini was authorised in the list of countries meeting EU animal health requirements for the export of fresh beef and game meat (wild and farmed game). Due to an outbreak of FMD in cattle, sheep, and goats in the region of Shiselweni, confirmed on 20 May 2025, Eswatini has been removed from the list.

Regulation 2021/404, Annex XIII is amended accordingly (the consolidation version is not yet available. Current consolidated version: 08/01/2025).

Why?

The EU regularly updates the list of non-EU countries authorised to export animal products to the Union in response to emerging animal health risks in exporting countries, in order to protect the animal health status of the EU.

Timeline

The Regulation applies from 14 June 2025.

What are the major implications for exporting countries?

Eswatini will need to demonstrate that FMD is eradicated, or give guarantees allowing for regionalisation to recover the authorisation to export beef and game meat to the EU.

Recommended Actions

Regionalisation – putting in place measures to establish disease-free regions within a country – allows for regulations restricting the movement of animals to be limited to only the region affected by the disease. However, as Eswatini has provided no guarantees that would allow for regionalisation, the EU’s removal of Eswatini from the animal health list affects the whole country.

Producers and exporters should engage with competent authorities to encourage and support the process of establishing guarantees that allow regionalisation.

Animal health rules must be strictly applied by non-EU countries in order to be able to export animals and animal products to the EU while avoiding the spread of diseases. It is important that competent authorities and operators work together to monitor animal health and keep diseases under control. Exporters should follow the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), where rules can be found for each disease.

Background

The EU’s Animal Health Law (Regulation 2016/429) provides a framework for monitoring animal health issues and responding to risks. To export products of animal origin to the EU, non-EU countries must demonstrate that they meet EU animal health requirements in relation to specific species and categories of animals or products.

Regulation 2020/692 sets out the animal health requirements for imports into the EU.

Implementing Regulation 2021/404 establishes the lists of authorised “third countries” (non-EU countries) that have met EU animal health requirements. The list is regularly updated, for example, in the event of an outbreak of a notifiable disease, or if there is an improvement in the animal health situation in a country.

Regulation 2021/405, Art. 3 states that to export fresh meat to the EU, countries must be listed both in Regulation 2021/404 Annex XIII and in Annex -I to Regulation 2021/405. (see Third country lists for public health – explained). In addition, third countries must also be authorised and listed in relation to the use of antimicrobials (from 3 September 2026): Regulation 2024/2598, see List of non-EU countries compliant with new EU antimicrobial requirements.

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