EU suspends poultry imports from six HPAI zones in the US, UK and Canada; zone status, not the flag, decides market access

The European Union has closed its market to poultry from six specific zones in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States after highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed in all three countries, while the rest of each country keeps access.

The measure is Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2268 of 7 October 2026, published in the Official Journal on 8 October and applicable from that date. It amends Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404, the EU list of countries, territories and zones authorised for animal and animal product imports, and covers live poultry, hatching eggs and fresh poultry meat and game bird meat from the named zones.

The zones named are two areas in Manitoba and one in Alberta in Canada, the Isle of Lewis area of Scotland in the United Kingdom, and Stearns County in Minnesota and Jay County in Indiana in the United States. The outbreaks involve the H5N1, H5N5 and H5 strains, with confirmations running from 23 September in Manitoba to 2 October in Scotland. The Scottish case was the first HPAI detection of the 2026-27 season in Great Britain, a season that opened on 1 October, and it ended the country's disease-free status for trade purposes.

• Legal basis: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2268 of 7 October 2026, in force from 8 October 2026.
• Products covered: live poultry, hatching eggs, and fresh poultry and game bird meat from the listed zones.
• Zones: two in Manitoba and one in Alberta (Canada); Isle of Lewis area, Scotland (United Kingdom); Stearns County, Minnesota and Jay County, Indiana (United States).
• Virus: H5N1, H5N5 and H5, confirmed between 23 September and 2 October 2026.
• Scope: the suspension is zone-based, not country-wide; unaffected regions of Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States retain access to the EU market.

The structure of the measure matters more than the headline. Modern import rules work on regionalisation: access is decided by the health status of the production zone and the approved establishment at the time of shipment, not by the country as a whole. That cuts both ways. A single outbreak does not shut a supplier out, but a certificate that names the wrong zone, or a plant whose approval lapsed, stops the container regardless of the price agreed.

For buyers in the Gulf and Africa sourcing from multiple origins, the working rule for the 2026-27 avian influenza season is to confirm three things before a letter of credit is opened: the health status of the exact zone of origin on the date of production, the approval status of the slaughter and processing plant, and that the veterinary certificate wording matches the destination market's current requirements.

Nau Food Group supplies frozen poultry and meat to Dubai and regional markets with halal, HACCP and full origin and health documentation, and can arrange customs clearance and delivery into Jebel Ali and the Dubai free zones. For origin and documentation checks: info@naufoodgroup.com.

Source: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2268 of 7 October 2026, Official Journal of the European Union, 8 October 2026.