Guidance

1 July 2025: Outbreak of lumpy skin disease in France

Updated 2 July 2025

OVS note number: 2025/48 

1 July 2025

Purpose 

To inform you that, due to a recent outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in France, imports of the following bovine commodities have been suspended:

• live animals
• germplasm (semen, ova and embryos)
• offal (except diaphragm and masseter muscles)
• raw milk and raw dairy products (including raw colostrum)
• milk and dairy products that have undergone a lower heat treatment than pasteurisation (72ºC for 15 seconds), unless they have been through an ageing or maturation process which commenced before 23 May 2025 
• hides and skins, unless they have been treated in line with point 2b, c, or d of Article 11.9.13 of the WOAH terrestrial code:
  • dry-salted or wet-salted for a period of at least 14 days prior to dispatch; or
  • treated for a period of at least 7 days in salt (NaCl) with the addition of 2% sodium carbonate (Na2CO3); or
  • dried for a period of at least 42 days at a temperature of at least 20°C
• all animal by-products (except gelatine and collagen, tallow, and hooves and horns – which WOAH consider safe commodities), unless they have undergone heat treatment to a minimum internal temperature of 65°C for at least 30 minutes 

Background 

France has notified WOAH of its first case of lumpy skin disease (LSD), which was confirmed on 29 June 2025 on a cattle farm in Chambéry: WAHIS. 

As a result of this outbreak, France has lost its LSD-free status. 

In response to this outbreak, Defra is taking action to suspend imports of the following bovine commodities from the whole territory of France: 

• live animals
• germplasm (semen, ova and embryos)
• raw milk and raw dairy products (including raw colostrum)
• milk and dairy products that have undergone a lower heat treatment than pasteurisation (72ºC for 15 seconds), unless they have been through an ageing or maturation process which commenced before 23 May 2025 
• offal (except diaphragm and masseter muscles)
• hides and skins, unless they have been treated in line with point 2b, c, or d of Article 11.9.13 of the WOAH terrestrial code: 
  • dry-salted or wet-salted for a period of at least 14 days prior to dispatch; or
  • treated for a period of at least 7 days in salt (NaCl) with the addition of 2% sodium carbonate (Na2CO3); or 
  • dried for a period of at least 42 days at a temperature of at least 20°C
• all animal by-products of bovine origin (except gelatine and collagen, tallow, and hooves and horns – which WOAH consider safe), unless they have undergone heat treatment to a minimum internal temperature of 65°C for at least 30 minutes

The restrictions on imports of live bovine animals, their germplasm, raw milk and dairy products of bovine origin and bovine offal (except diaphragm and masseter muscles) were implemented on 1 July 2025 through amendment to the following lists:

• live ungulates
• bovine embryos
• bovine semen
• fresh meat of ungulates
• milk and milk products

The restrictions on the following commodities will be implemented through publication of safeguard declarations under the Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 in the coming days: 

• imports of fresh and chilled (untreated) bovine hides and skins, 
• other affected ABPs of bovine origin (excluding gelatine and collagen, tallow, and hooves and horns) 
• milk and milk products that have undergone a heat treatment less than pasteurisation that have not been through an ageing or maturation process, or for which the ageing or maturation process commenced after 23 May 2025

A separate OVS note will be issued when these declarations have been published. In the meantime, any consignments of these products should be held.

Imports from France of bovine meat derived from skeletal muscle are not impacted by this measure and continue to be permitted. 

Clarification on imports of bovine dairy products that have undergone a lower heat treatment than pasteurisation 

Imports of raw milk and raw dairy products (that is, products covered under Column A in the Milk and Milk Products list) from France are suspended from 1 July 2025. 

Note that bovine dairy products from France that have undergone a lower heat treatment than pasteurisation for human consumption can still be imported under General Authorisation IMP/GEN/2024/01 using certificate GBHC416, as long as they have undergone a process of ageing or maturation that commenced before 23 May 2025 and all other import conditions are met and all attestations can be signed. This means that hard cheeses such as Gran Moravia, Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano that have undergone a lower heat treatment than pasteurisation for human consumption, and for which the ageing or maturation process commenced before 23 May 2025, can continue to take place via this import route.

Acceptable supporting documentation 

For low-risk products or ingredients that do not need to be accompanied by an export health certificate the following documentation may be accepted: 

• a dated manufacturers certificate or statement that relates to the specific goods in the consignment 
• copies of manufacturing records showing accurate temperatures have been maintained throughout the production process. 

For bovine dairy products that have undergone a lower heat treatment than pasteurisation and an ageing/maturation process that commenced before 23 May 2025, imported on certificate GBHC416, the consignment will need to be accompanied by supporting documentation (such as a manufacturing certificate or statement) detailing the heat treatment and dates through which the product underwent a process of ageing/maturation. 

Any bovine milk or dairy products from France that have been treated to pasteurisation (72 degrees for 15 seconds, as set out in Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EU) 605/2010) or one of the treatment options set out in Article 4 of Commission Regulation (EU) 605/2010 are unaffected by these restrictions and can continue to be imported through the usual routes (either as column B products under certificate GBHC412 or as column C products under certificate GBHC413). 

Bluetongue 

France’s Bluetongue Virus 3 (BTV-3) status requires compliance with Supplementary Guarantee (SG) ‘A’ (as denoted in column 6 of the Live Ungulates list). BTV-3 vaccines authorised for use in the EU cannot currently be used for trade due to the lack of information on the duration of immunity of the vaccine meaning they cannot comply with the relevant part of the certificate. Consequently, imports of live ruminants from France cannot be certified. 

Contact point for enquiries 

Email: imports@apha.gov.uk

Imports and EU Trade Team