AGRINFO AGRINFO logo

The latest on EU AGRI-Food policies impacting low- and middle-income countries

2025/361, 2025/446

HPAI: Restrictions on poultry from Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • Animal health
  • Third country lists

Summary

Following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the European Union (EU) has suspended imports of fresh poultry meat from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Poultry products may still be imported into the EU from Bosnia and Herzegovina if they have received a specific risk-mitigating treatment.

HPAI: EU suspends fresh poultry meat imports and restricts imports of poultry products from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/361 of 17 February 2025 amending Annexes V, XIV and XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the entries for Bosnia and Herzegovina, 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, of fresh meat of poultry and game birds, and of meat products from poultry

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/446 of 28 February 2025 amending Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the entries for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, 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, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds

Update

Following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the European Union (EU) has suspended imports of fresh poultry meat from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Poultry products may still be imported into the EU from Bosnia and Herzegovina if they have received a specific risk-mitigating treatment.

Impacted Products

Poultry meat

What is changing?

Due to an outbreak of avian influenza in the municipality of Rogatica in Republika Srpska, exports of fresh poultry meat from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the EU have been suspended since the disease was confirmed on 10 February 2025.

Poultry products may still be exported to the EU if the following risk-mitigating treatment D is applied to the products: a minimum temperature of 70°C, which must be reached throughout the meat (Regulation 2020/692, Annex XXVI).

To clarify, Regulation 2025/446 specifies that the suspension of exports is due to the HPAI outbreak in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Annex XIV).

Why?

In order to protect the animal health status of the EU, the EU regularly updates the list of non-EU countries that are authorised to export animal products according to emerging animal health risks in exporting countries .

Timeline

From 19 February 2025, fresh poultry meat may not be exported from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the EU. Poultry products certified after 10 February 2025 must have undergone specific risk-mitigating treatment.

Recommended Actions

Because Bosnia and Herzegovina has no guarantees that would allow for regionalisation, this suspension of authorisation concerns the whole country. Producers and exporters could engage with competent authorities to encourage and support the process of establishing guarantees that allow regionalisation (regionalisation involves limiting measures to affected regions within the country).

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 be listed for particular species and categories of animals and germinal products (semen, ova, and embryos).

Regulation 2020/692 supplements the Animal Health Law regarding the animal health requirements for imports into the EU.

Implementing Regulation 2021/404 establishes the lists of “third countries” (non-EU countries). 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.

Resources

Online resources from the European Commission:

World Organisation for Animal Health: Terrestrial Animal Health Code

The procedure for non-EU countries to apply for listing is described at the end of the following factsheets:

Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products (Official Controls Regulation)

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (Animal Health Law)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 as regards rules for entry into the Union, and the movement and handling after entry of consignments of certain animals, germinal products and products of animal origin

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235 laying down rules for the application of Regulations (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2017/625 as regards model animal health certificates, model official certificates and model animal health/official certificates, for the entry into the Union and movements within the Union of consignments of certain categories of animals and goods, official certification regarding such certificates

Sources

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/361 as regards the entries for Bosnia and Herzegovina, 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, of fresh meat of poultry and game birds, and of meat products from poultry

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/446 as regards the entries for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, 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, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds

Disclaimer: Under no circumstances shall COLEAD be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered that is claimed to have resulted from the use of information available on this website or any link to external sites. The use of the website is at the user’s sole risk and responsibility. This information platform was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents do not, however, reflect the views of the European Union.

HPAI: EU suspends fresh poultry meat imports and restricts imports of poultry products from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/361 as regards the entries for Bosnia and Herzegovina, 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, of fresh meat of poultry and game birds, and of meat products from poultry

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/446 as regards the entries for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, 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, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds

What is changing and why?

Following a confirmed outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on its territory, Bosnia and Herzegovina is not authorised to export fresh poultry meat to the European Union (EU).

Poultry products from Bosnia and Herzegovina may still be exported to the EU if they have undergone risk-mitigating treatment D: a minimum temperature of 70°C, which must be reached throughout the meat (Regulation 2020/692, Annex XXVI).

To clarify, Regulation 2025/446 specifies that the suspension of exports is due to the HPAI outbreak in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Annex XIV).

Actions

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. It is important that competent authorities and operators work together to monitor animal health and keep diseases under control. Producers and exporters could engage with competent authorities to encourage and support the process of establishing guarantees that allow regionalisation (regionalisation involves limiting measures to affected regions within the country). Exporters should follow the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), where rules can be found for each disease.

Timeline

From 19 February 2025, fresh poultry meat may not be exported from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the EU. Poultry products certified after 10 February 2025 must have undergone specific risk-mitigating treatment.

Disclaimer: Under no circumstances shall COLEAD be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered that is claimed to have resulted from the use of information available on this website or any link to external sites. The use of the website is at the user’s sole risk and responsibility. This information platform was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents do not, however, reflect the views of the European Union.