Poultry imports from Canada and the USA: authorized zones change in 2026

Key data

European importers of poultry products from Canada and the United States must urgently review their supply chains. The Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1140, in force since May 20, 2026, modifies the annexes V and XIV of Regulation 2021/404 and updates which specific zones in both countries are authorized to export to the European Union.

The most likely reason for these zoning adjustments is outbreaks of avian influenza or other animal diseases detected in certain regions of Canada and the USA. The EU applies the regionalization principle: it does not block the entire country, but rather suspends or rehabilitates specific zones according to the health status of each.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation 2026/1140 modifies two annexes of the regulatory framework governing imports of animals and animal products into the EU:

The modification adjusts the entries for Canada and the USA in both annexes, adding, suspending, or updating the authorized zones. Zones that no longer appear in the updated annexes are automatically excluded: any shipment originating from them cannot enter the EU.

The three types of products covered by this update are:

• Live poultry
• Poultry reproductive products (mainly fertile eggs)
• Fresh poultry and game bird meat

Economic and operational impact

The impact is not theoretical: a shipment retained at the border generates immediate costs for storage, customs management, and in many cases, destruction of the goods if it cannot be returned to the origin. The concrete effects for operators are:

• Retention or return of shipments at the border if the zone of origin is no longer authorized. The cost falls on the European importer.
• Breach of supply contracts with suppliers from suspended zones, with possible contractual penalties.
• Need to update health certificates to reflect the new zoning. Certificates that do not mention a valid zone will be rejected at border inspection posts.
• Urgent search for alternative suppliers in zones that remain authorized, with the impact on prices and timelines that this entails.
• Opportunity for importers who already work with zones that maintain or expand their authorization: they can gain market share against competitors who must reorient their supply.

Who does it affect?

• European importers of poultry meat, fertile eggs, or other poultry reproductive products from Canada or the USA.
• Distributors and wholesalers in the poultry sector that have supply contracts with North American producers.
• Food industry (processors, prepared meal manufacturers, etc.) that use poultry meat of Canadian or US origin as raw material.
• Incubation operators that import fertile eggs from Canada or the USA for their own production.
• Customs agents and freight forwarders that manage customs clearance of poultry products from these origins.
• Legal and foreign trade advisors that advise companies in the agri-food sector.

Practical example

A Spanish company importing frozen chicken breast meat has a supply contract with a producer located in a region of the USA that, following an avian influenza outbreak, has been excluded from the updated annexes by Regulation 2026/1140.

On May 20, 2026 — the date of entry into force — the zone ceases to be authorized. If the company has a shipment in transit originating from that zone, upon arrival at the EU border inspection post, the batch may be retained and returned to the exporter, or directly destroyed if return is not viable. The importer bears the costs of storage at the border, return procedures, and loss of the value of the goods.

To avoid this, the company should have verified before shipment whether the zone of origin of its supplier still appeared in the updated Annex XIV of Regulation 2021/404, and if not, should have suspended the order or redirected the supply to a supplier in a still-authorized zone.

What should companies do now?

1. Consult the updated annexes V and XIV of Regulation 2021/404 as they stand after the modification of Regulation 2026/1140, to verify whether the zones of origin of your Canadian and US suppliers remain authorized.
2. Communicate with your suppliers in Canada and the USA to confirm which zone they are located in and whether that zone maintains authorization to export to the EU.
3. Review and update health certificates for shipments in progress or upcoming, ensuring they reflect the zoning in force according to the new annexes.
4. Review supply contracts to identify force majeure or suspension clauses that may apply if the supplier ends up in an unauthorized zone, and assess whether it is necessary to activate them.
5. Identify alternative suppliers in zones that remain authorized, both in Canada and in the USA or other third countries, to ensure supply continuity.
6. Inform your customs agent or freight forwarder about the zoning changes so they verify the documentation before each clearance and avoid border retentions.
7. Monitor future updates to Regulation 2021/404, as zoning can change relatively frequently depending on the evolution of avian influenza outbreaks or other diseases.