Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/278 of 6 February 2026 amending Annexes XIV and XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the entries for Argentina and Moldova in the lists of third countries, territories, or zones thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of fresh meat of poultry and game birds and meat products from poultry

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2026/278 9.2.2026 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION(EU) 2026/278 of 6 February 2026 amending Annexes XIV and XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the entries for Argentina and Moldova in the lists of third countries, territories, or zones thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of fresh meat of poultry and game birds and meat products from poultry (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’)(1), and in particular Article 230(1) and Article 232(3), point (b) thereof. Whereas: (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 into 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 XIV and XV 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 fresh meat of poultry and game birds, and of meat products from ungulates, poultry and game birds. (1) OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/429/oj. (2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 of 30 January 2020 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council 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 (OJ L 174, 3.6.2020, p. 379, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/ reg_del/2020/692/oj). (3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 of 24 March 2021 laying down the lists of third countries, territories or zones thereof from which the entry into the Union of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin is permitted in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 114, 31.3.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/ eli/reg_impl/2021/404/oj). ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/278/oj 1/4EN OJ L, 9.2.2026 (5) Following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry in the province of Buenos Aires in Argentina, which was confirmed on 19 August 2025, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1772(4) amended, inter alia, the entries for that third country in the table in Section B of Part 1 of Annex XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404, by suspending the entry of consignments of fresh meat of poultry and game birds into the Union. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1772 also amended the entries for Argentina in the table in Section A of Part 1 of Annex XV, by adding the requirement that consignments of meat products from poultry and ratites are only to be allowed entry into the Union if those meat products have undergone a specific risk- mitigating treatment ‘D’ in accordance with Annex XXVI to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692. (6) On 1 October 2025 and 22 October 2025, Argentina submitted updated information to the Commission on the epidemiological situation on its territory in relation to the outbreak of HPAI in poultry confirmed on 19 August 2025, and the measures it has taken to prevent the further spread of that disease. In particular, following that outbreak of HPAI, Argentina has implemented a stamping out policy to control and limit the spread of that disease, cleaning and disinfection following the implementation of the stamping out policy in the affected establishments, and a surveillance programme demonstrating the absence of infection in the populations at risk. (7) The Commission has evaluated the information submitted by Argentina and concluded that it has provided appropriate guarantees that the animal health situation that had given rise to the suspension of the entry into the Union of consignments of fresh meat of poultry and game birds, as set out in the table in Section B of Part 1 of Annex XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404, no longer represents a threat to animal or public health in the Union, and that, consequently, the entry into the Union of those consignments from Argentina should be re-authorised. In addition, Argentina should again be listed for the entry into the Union of consignments of meat products from poultry and ratites with an assigned non-specific treatment ‘A’ in columns 10 and 11 of the table set out in Part 1, Section A of Annex XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404. (8) In addition, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 was amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1170(5)as regards Moldova, following information submitted by that third country to the Commission on the epidemiological situation on its territory as regards HPAI, and the measures it has taken to prevent the further spread of that disease. More particularly, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1170 amended Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 by adding, inter alia, zone ‘MD-1’ in Moldova in the table set out in Section B of Part 1 of Annex XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404, in order to authorise that zone in Moldova for the entry into the Union of consignments of fresh meat of poultry. Those parts of the territory of Moldova, which are not included in that zone MD-1, could not be authorised at that time, as they did not fulfil the criteria laid down in Article 38(1), point (b), of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 which requires that no outbreaks of HPAI have occurred in poultry in the preceding 12 months. (9) Furthermore, following a request by Moldova, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 was amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3145(6)in order, inter alia, to add the zone MD-1 in Moldova in the table set out in Section A of Part 1 of Annex XV, as authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of meat products from poultry that are not required to undergo a specific risk-mitigating treatment in accordance with Annex XXVI to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692. (4) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1772 of 1 September 2025 amending Annexes V, XIV and XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the entries for Argentina 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 of meat products from poultry (OJ L, 2025/1772, 2.9.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1772/oj). (5) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1170 of 23 April 2024 amending Annexes IV, VIII, XIII, XIV and XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the lists of third countries or territories, or zones thereof, authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals and products of animal origin, and correcting Annex XIV thereto as regards the list of third countries or territories, or zones thereof, authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of fresh meat of poultry and game birds (OJ L, 2024/1170, 30.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2024/1170/oj). (6) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3145 of 18 December 2024 amending Annexes I, IX, X and XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the lists of third countries or territories or zones thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain products of animal origin, and correcting Annex XXI thereto as regards the entries for the United States (OJ L, 2024/3145, 19.12.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2024/3145/oj). 2/4 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/278/ojEN OJ L, 9.2.2026 (10) On 3 October 2025, Moldova submitted updated information to the Commission on the epidemiological situation on its territory in relation to HPAI. In particular, information was provided on the results of the surveillance carried out in the areas which are not included in the zone MD-1 in Moldova, demonstrating the absence of HPAI outbreaks in poultry in those areas for the preceding 12 months. (11) The Commission has evaluated the information submitted by Moldova and concluded that it has provided appropriate guarantees substantiating fulfilment by that third country of the criteria laid down in Article 38(1), point (b), of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 and that the entry into the Union of consignments of fresh meat of poultry from the areas which are not included in the zone MD-1 in Moldova does not represent a threat to animal or public health into the Union. Therefore, the whole territory of Moldova should now be listed in the table in Section B of Part 1 of Annex XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404. In addition, the whole territory of Moldova should also be listed for the entry into the Union of consignments of meat products from poultry with an assigned non-specific treatment ‘A’ in column 10 of the table set out in Part 1, Section A, of Annex XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404. (12) Annexes XIV and XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 should, therefore, be amended accordingly. (13) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Annexes XIV and XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 6 February 2026. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/278/oj 3/4ANNEX Annexes XIV and XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 are amended as follows: (1) Annex XIV, Part 1, Section B is amended as follows: (a) the entry for Argentina is replaced by the following: ‘AR AR-0 POU, RAT, GBM P1 19.8.2025 1 March 2026’ Argentina (b) the entry for Moldova is replaced by the following: MD-0 POU 1 March 2026’ ‘MD Moldova MD-1 POU 1 March 2026 (2) Annex XV, Part 1, Section A is amended as follows: (a) the entry for Argentina is replaced by the following: MPNT(**) AR-0 C C C C C C C A A D MPST ‘AR MPNT(**) AR-1 C C C C C C C A A D Argentina MPST MPNT(**) AR-2 A A C A A C C A A D MPST’ (b) the entry for Moldova is replaced by the following: Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Not MPNT(**) MD-0 A authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised MPST ‘MD Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Not MPNT(**) MD-1 A Moldova authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorized MPST Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Not MPNT(**) MD-2 A authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorised authorized MPST’ 4/4 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/278/oj EN OJ L, 9.2.2026