(1)

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 provides that consignments of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin from third countries or territories are only to be allowed to enter into the Union if the third countries or territories concerned are listed in accordance with Article 230(1) of that Regulation.

(2)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 (2) lays down the animal health requirements that consignments of certain species and categories of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin, from third countries, territories, or zones thereof, or compartments thereof in the case of aquaculture animals, must comply with in order to enter the Union.

(3)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 (3) lays down the lists of third countries, territories, or zones thereof, from which the entry into the Union of the species and categories of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin, falling within the scope of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692, is permitted. Those lists and certain general rules concerning those lists are set out in Annexes I to XXII to that Implementing Regulation.

(4)

More particularly, Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 set out the lists of third countries, territories, or zones thereof, authorised for the entry into the Union, respectively, of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds.

(5)

Canada has notified the Commission of a total of three new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) of subtypes H5N1 and H5 in poultry in the provinces of Manitoba and Alberta, which were confirmed on 23 September 2026 and 25 September 2026, respectively, by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(6)

The United Kingdom has notified the Commission of an outbreak of HPAI of subtype H5N5 in poultry in the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, which was confirmed on 2 October 2026 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(7)

The United States has notified the Commission of two new outbreaks of HPAI of subtype H5 in poultry in the states of Indiana and Minnesota, which were confirmed on 28 September 2026 and 30 September 2026, respectively, by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(8)

Following those recent outbreaks of HPAI, the veterinary authorities of Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States established restricted zones of at least 10 km around the affected establishments and implemented a stamping-out policy to control the presence of HPAI and limit the spread of that disease.

(9)

Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States have submitted information to the Commission on the epidemiological situation on their respective territories and the measures they have taken to prevent the further spread of HPAI following those recent HPAI outbreaks.

(10)

That information has been evaluated by the Commission. In view of the animal health situation in the areas under restrictions established by the veterinary authorities of Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the entry into the Union of consignments of poultry and germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat of poultry and game birds from the areas concerned by the new outbreaks in those third countries should be suspended in order to protect the animal health status of the Union, taking into account the dates when the outbreaks were confirmed. Therefore, the entries for those third countries in the tables set out in Section B of Part 1 and in Part 2 of Annex V, and the table set out in Section B of Part 1 of Annex XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 should be amended accordingly.

(11)

Taking into account the new HPAI outbreaks in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the amendments to be made to Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 by this Regulation should take effect as a matter of urgency.

(12)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,