Guidance

17 September 2025: Recognition of foot and mouth disease freedom for Hungary

Updated 22 September 2025

OVS note number: 2025/62 

Date: 17/09/2025 

Purpose 

To inform you that Defra has reviewed the actions taken by the Hungarian Competent Authority in response to their recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).  As a result, import restrictions from Hungary have been lifted for the following affected commodities, provided all other import conditions, including all the attestations in the health certificates, can be met: 

• live animals (including non-domestic) ruminant and porcine animals, including wild game, and their germplasm 
• fresh meat from ruminant and porcine animals (including chilled and frozen)   
• meat products from ruminant and porcine animals that have not been subject to heat treatment D1, D, C or B as defined in Annex 1
• casings 
• raw and pasteurised milk and raw and pasteurised milk products of FMD-susceptible animals (including colostrum) 
• certain animal by-products (ABP) (low risk commodities do not require health certification but must still meet all requirements within the relevant health certificate)  
• hay and straw  

Background 

Hungary notified WOAH of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) on 7 March 2025: WAHIS. 

The UK Office for SPS Trade Assurance (UK SPS Office) amended the third country lists and published safeguard declarations on 7 March 2025 to suspend imports of several commodities from FMD-susceptible animals from the whole territory of Hungary (see OVS note 2025/19 for a full list of actions taken). The UK SPS Office further amended the fresh meat of ungulates list on 14 March 2025 to insert closing dates in Hungary’s entry (please see OVS note 2025/21). 

Defra has now reviewed the measures implemented by the Hungarian Competent Authority in response to the outbreak and concluded that FMD restrictions can now be lifted from the whole country of Hungary, from 10 September 2025. In addition, WOAH has reinstated Hungary’s FMD free without vaccination status with effect from 10 September 2025. 

The UK SPS Office amended its third country listings on 17 September 2025 to lift the suspension on imports of the following commodities from FMD-susceptible animals from Hungary:    

• live ruminants and swine: model certificates BOV-X, BOV-Y, RUM, POR-X, POR-Y and SUI have been added to Hungary’s entries in the live ungulates third country list, with a footnote ‘e’ added to Hungary’s entries to stipulate that ‘for certification purposes, this territory is considered to have been free of FMD from 10/09/2025’  
• ruminant germplasm: footnote ‘c’, has been added to Hungary’s entries in the bovine semen, bovine embryos, ovine and caprine ova and embryos and ovine and caprine semen third country listings, which stipulates that ‘for certification purposes, this territory is considered to have been free of FMD from 10/09/2025’. Imports of ovine and caprine germplasm from Hungary remain suspended due to an outbreak of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) confirmed on 24 January 2025.  
• porcine germplasm: footnote ‘b’ has been added to Hungary’s entry in the porcine semen list, which stipulates that ‘for certification purposes, this territory is considered to have been free of FMD from 10/09/2025’. Imports of porcine semen from Hungary remain suspended due to outbreaks of African Swine Fever. 
• fresh meat of certain domestic and non-domestic ruminants and swine: the RUW and SUW model certificates have been re-added to Hungary’s entries in the fresh meat of ungulates third country listing, with an opening date of 10/09/2025 attached to the BOV, OVI, RUF, RUW, SUF, and SUW certificates. Footnote ‘h’ has also been added to Hungary’s entries, which stipulates that ‘for certification purposes, this territory is considered to have been free of FMD from 10/09/2025.’ 
• meat products : the following changes have been made to Hungary’s entries: 
  • heat treatment ‘D1’ has been replaced by ‘A’ in columns 3, 4 and 10 (covering meat products of domestic bovine and farmed cloven-hoofed game (excluding swine), domestic ovine/caprine, and wild cloven-hoofed game (excluding swine), respectively)
  • treatment ‘D1’ has been replaced by ‘A’ in column 5 (domestic porcine and farmed cloven-hoofed game (swine)) for the territories HU-1 and HU-2 
  • treatment ‘D1’ has been replaced by ‘D’ in column 5 (domestic porcine and farmed cloven-hoofed game (swine)) for the territory HU-3 
  • treatment ‘D1’ has been replaced by ‘A’ in column 11 (wild swine) for the territory HU-1 
  • footnote ‘c’ has been added to Hungary’s entries, which stipulates that ‘for certification purposes, this territory is considered to have been free of FMD from 10/09/2025’
• raw and pasteurised milk and raw and pasteurised milk products (including colostrum): ‘0’ has been replaced by ‘+’ in column A and B in Hungary’s entry in the milk and milk products listing. In addition, footnote ‘g’ has been added to Hungary’s entry, which stipulates that ‘for certification purposes, this territory is considered to have been free of FMD from 10/09/2025’. Imports from Hungary of raw milk and raw dairy products derived from ovine and caprine animals remain temporarily suspended in response to an outbreak of PPR that was confirmed on 24 January 2025. As such, footnote ‘b’, which stipulates that ‘ovine and caprine products are suspended’, has been re-added to column A of Hungary’s entry. 

‘FMD-susceptible animals’ means a cow, bull, sheep, goat, deer, camel, llama, alpaca, guanaco, vicuna, any other ruminant, any swine (that is, a member of the suborder Suina of the order Artiodactyla) or elephant. 

African Swine Fever 

It should be noted that parts of Hungary are currently under restriction due to African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreaks in domestic pigs and/or wild boar. 

This means that imports of fresh porcine and wild swine meat and meat products (unless treated to mitigate ASF), and live porcine animals, from ASF-affected parts of Hungary continue to be prohibited. In addition, imports of porcine semen from the entire territory of Hungary to Great Britain remain suspended. 

Bluetongue 

Hungary is not recognised as free from Bluetongue Virus (BTV) and has recently reported cases of BTV-3. Therefore, compliance with Supplementary Guarantee (SG) ‘A’ (as shown in column 6 of the Live Ungulates list) is required for ruminants exported from Hungary. 

However, BTV-3 vaccines authorised for use in the EU cannot currently be used for trade due to the current lack of information on the duration of immunity of the vaccine.  

Therefore, live ruminants are effectively not certifiable for import from Hungary to Great Britain. 

Safeguard measures 

In addition to updates to third country listings, the following safeguard declarations were published on our topical issues page on 17 September 2025 to lift FMD-related restrictions on imports from Hungary of hay and straw, certain ABPs and animal casings derived from FMD-susceptible animals: 

• Declaration of special measures: importation of untreated wool and hair from Eswatini and Slovakia 
• Declaration of special measures: importation of animal casings from susceptible animals from Eswatini and Slovakia 
• Declaration of special measures: importation of certain products from Slovakia 

The new safeguard measures, published separately for England, Scotland and Wales, apply on a GB-wide basis from 18 September 2025 and will continue to apply until they are revoked or amended. For the purposes of certification, Hungary has been considered free of FMD since 10 September 2025.  

Personal import restrictions 

Personal imports from the EU single market area of certain porcine and ruminant products into Great Britain were initially suspended in April 2025, via published safeguard declarations, in response to foot and mouth disease (see OVS note 2025/29). The measures are given effect through the following instruments:  

• for personal imports into England, through the Declaration of special measures: foot and mouth disease personal import restrictions (England) 
• for personal imports Wales, through The Animal Health (Import Controls) (Wales) Order 2025 (which replaces previously published safeguard measures – see OVS note 2025/56) 
• for personal imports Scotland, through The Animal Products (Control of Personal Importation) (Scotland) Order 2025 (which replaces previously published safeguard measures – see OVS note 2025/59). 

In spite of Hungary being recognised as free of FMD, restrictions on personal imports from the EU single market area (including Hungary) of certain porcine and ruminant products remain unchanged. This means that no products of FMD-susceptible animals can be imported from the EU single market area (EEA states, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Switzerland) into Great Britain as personal imports, whether unpackaged or commercially produced and packaged. Please see OVS note 2025/29 for a full breakdown of these restrictions. 

Contact point for enquiries 

Email: imports@apha.gov.uk 

Imports and EU Trade Team 

Guidance for traders following removal of restrictions on certain commodities originating from Hungary 

Commodities in scope: 

• live (including non-domestic) ruminant and porcine animals, including wild game, and their germplasm 
• fresh meat from ruminant and porcine animals (including chilled and frozen) 
• meat products from ruminant and porcine animals that have not been subject to specific treatment D1, D, C or B (including wild game) 
• rendered fat and greaves 
• casings 
• milk, colostrum and their products, not treated to a treatment as defined in Article 4 of Regulation 605/2010 
• certain animal by-products 
• hay and straw 

Following an assessment, restrictions previously applied to imports of these commodities originating from Hungary have now been lifted. This means that the export of these previously affected commodities can resume, provided that all other import conditions are met and all attestations in the relevant export health certificate can be certified.  

Where certificates require confirmation that no FMD vaccination has occurred in the territory of origin for a defined period, this can still be certified in Hungary’s case. The Hungarian authorities have confirmed that emergency vaccination was followed by a vaccinate-to-kill policy, with all vaccinated animals culled and safely disposed of. 

The  list  of EU countries approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain and the relevant safeguard declarations published at Imports, exports and EU trade of animals and animal products: topical issues - GOV.UK have been updated accordingly.    

See below for specific guidance for certification of affected commodities from Hungary following the lifting of restrictions. 

Live animals 

For live animals from Hungary, please refer to the following information on the attestations related to the territory and the establishment of origin: 

GBHC620 (BOV-X), GBHC621 (BOV-Y), GBHC630 (OVI-X), GBHC631 (OVI-Y), GBHC680 (POR-X) and GBHC681 (POR-Y) - In the territory requirements (freedom from disease) regarding the following attestations: bovine certificates – AH/T117; ovine and caprine certificates – AH/T121; porcine certificates - AH/T129] 

has been considered free from [foot-and-mouth disease], since ……(dd/mm/yyyy), without having had cases/outbreaks from that date, and authorised to export these animals by …… of …… (dd/mm/yyyy), and;] 

please insert: 

• the date as indicated in the document related to live ungulates published on GOV.UK, in accordance with Regulation 206/2010 in the first and third dotted line. 
• the words “Secretary of State” as authorising authority in the second dotted line. 

Please note that this guidance is only intended for FMD and the porcine certificates may have restrictions related to the other diseases referred to in a similar attestation. 

GBHC710 (RUM) and GBHC711 (SUI) - imports into Great Britain of live animals dispatched from a territory affected by FMD outbreak can resume 24 months after the date that the restrictions have been lifted. 

GBHC716 (RUM-A) - AH/T124 - there are two options:

• (a)(i) to be used when the country or territory or part thereof has been free for the past 12 months, or 
• (a)(ii) the animals have been subject to the relevant tests for FMD as described in the certificate with negative results

GBHC717 (SUI-A) - AH/T128 - there are two options: 

• (a)(i)(1) to be used when the country or territory or part thereof has been free for the past 12 months, or
• (a)(i)(2) the animals have been subject to the relevant tests for FMD as described in the certificate with negative results

In addition and applying to all live animal certificates listed in this part, exports to Great Britain from establishments located within 10km of the outbreak can resume after a minimum of 40 days after the latest FMD case. 

Germinal products 

Imports into Great Britain of bovine semen, oocytes and embryos, ovine/caprine semen oocytes and embryos, porcine semen from Hungary can resume after the restrictions have been lifted and providing the germinal product is compliant with the animal health attestations in the relevant GB health certificate.  

Please note that import restrictions in place for other diseases remain, including for bluetongue and African swine fever. 

Semen 

GBHC800 - bovine semen (AH/132), GBHC820 - ovine/caprine semen (AH/134A) and GBHC 830 - porcine semen (AH/170) can only be imported from a country or part thereof that has been free from FMD for a period of 12 months immediately prior to the date of collection and until dispatch. 

Bovine semen exported from an approved storage centre using GBHC802 must comply with the semen collection centre requirements set out in GBHC800. Ovine/caprine semen exported from an approved storage centre using GBHC821 must comply with the semen collection centre requirements set out in GBHC820. 

Embryos or oocytes collected in Hungary whilst the area was restricted due to FMD can be imported into Great Britain provided all other animal health requirements are complied with. 

In vivo collected bovine embryos and in vitro produced bovine, ovine or caprine embryos collected in Hungary can be imported provided they can comply with the requirements in the following attestations:  in vivo bovine embryos - AH/T133 A (c), in vitro bovine embryos – AH/133 B (a) (iii) and ovine/caprine embryos AH/T134 B (c) and the donor animals comply with the animal health requirements below. 

In addition, the establishment of collection (including abattoirs), must be in a 10km zone where no outbreak of FMD has occurred in the 30 days prior to collection and until dispatch (or 30 days for embryos subject to mandatory storage).  This is in accordance with the following attestations:  GBHC803: AH/E371A and AH/E372A; GBHC804 and GBHC805: AH/E371B and AH/E372B; GBHC822: AA/E100 and AA/E101. 

Products of animal origin (POAO) (for human consumption) 

Meat 

Following the lifting of restrictions, exports of fresh meat from Hungary can resume provided all the relevant conditions are met. 

Meat produced before the opening date (10/09/2025) is not eligible to be imported into Great Britain. 

Ruminant meat 

The relevant GB health certificates are as follows: 

• fresh meat, including minced meat, of domestic bovine animals (including Bison and Bubalus species and their cross-breeds) (BOV) (GBHC300) 
• fresh meat, including minced meat, of domestic ovine animals (Ovis aries) and domestic caprine animals (Capra hircus) (OVI) (GBHC320) 
• fresh meat, excluding offal and minced meat, of farmed nondomestic animals of the order Artiodactyla (excluding bovine animals (including Bison and Bubalus species and their cross-breeds), Ovis aries, Capra hircus, Suidae and Tayassuidae), and of the families Rhinocerotidae and Elephantidae (RUF) (excluding offal and minced meat) (GBHC373) 
• fresh meat, excluding offal and minced meat, of wild nondomestic animals of the order Artiodactyla (excluding bovine animals (including Bison and Bubalus species and their cross-breeds), Ovis aries, Capra hircus, Suidae and Tayassuidae), and of the families Rhinocerotidae and Elephantidae (RUW) (excluding offal and minced meat) (GBHC374) 

Regarding the following attestations AH/T104D Territory requirements (BOV), AH/T104B (OVI), AH/T104A (RUF) and AH/T104C (RUW) 

When completing the relevant attestation in the below certificates for meat originating in Hungary, the certifying official veterinarian must use the second option (b). 

[(b) has been considered free from foot-and-mouth disease since …… (dd/mm/yyyy), without having had cases/outbreaks afterwards, and authorised to export this meat by ……, of …… (dd/mm/yyyy) 

Please insert: 

• the opening date as indicated in the document relating to ‘fresh meat of ungulates’’ in accordance with Regulation 206/2010 in both places
• the words “Secretary of State” as authorising authority

Please note that this guidance is only intended for FMD and you will need to check the import requirements in relation to the other diseases referred to in the attestations. 

Porcine meat 

The relevant certificates are as follows: 

• fresh meat, including minced meat of domestic porcine animals (Sus scrofa) (POR) (GBHC310) 
• mechanically separated meat of domestic porcine animals (Sus scrofa) (POR-MSM) (GBHC311) 

Regarding the following attestations:  AH/T103 (POR), (POR-MSM) 

When completing the relevant attestation in the following certificates, the certifying official veterinarian must use the second option (b)(ii) 

(b) (ii) has been considered free from ()[foot-and-mouth disease], ()[classical swine fever] and (*)[swine vesicular disease], since …… (dd/mm/yyyy), without having had cases/outbreaks afterwards, and authorised to export this meat by ……of ……(dd/mm/yyyy); and] 

Please insert: 

• the opening date as indicated in the document relating to ‘fresh meat of ungulates’ published on GOV.UK, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 in both places
• the words “Secretary of State” as authorising authority

Please note that this guidance is only intended for FMD and you will need to check the import requirements in relation to the other diseases referred to in the attestations. 

Other Suidae 

The relevant certificates are as follows: 

• fresh meat, excluding offal and minced meat, of farmed non-domestic animals belonging to the Suidae, Tayassuidae or Tapiridae families (SUF) (GBHC377) 
• fresh meat, excluding offal and minced meat, of wild nondomestic animals belonging to the Suidae, Tayassuidae, or Tapiridae families (SUW) (GBHC378) 

Regarding the following attestations:  AH/T103 (SUF) and (SUW) ] 

When completing the relevant attestation in the below certificates, the certifying vet must use the second option (a) (ii): 

[(a)      (ii) has been considered free from ()[foot-and-mouth disease], ()[classical swine fever] and (*)[swine vesicular disease], since …… (dd/mm/yyyy), without having had cases/outbreaks afterwards, and authorised to export this meat by …… of …… (dd/mm/yyyy);  

Please insert: 

• the opening date as indicated in the document relating to ‘fresh meat of ungulates’ published on GOV.UK, in accordance with Regulation 206/2010 in both places
• the words “Secretary of State” as authorising authority

Please note that this guidance is only intended for FMD and you will need to check the import requirements in relation to the other diseases referred to in the attestations. 

Meat preparations 

Following the lifting of restrictions, export of meat preparations from Hungary can resume provided all the relevant conditions are met. 

The relevant certificate is as follows: 

• meat preparations (MP-PREP) GBHC350 

Meat preparations from Hungary are permitted provided that the fresh meat originates from a territory eligible to import into Great Britain. In relation to FMD as stated above, fresh meat from Hungary is permitted. 

Please note that this guidance is only intended for FMD and you will need to check the import requirements in relation to the other diseases referred to in the attestations. 

Meat products 

The relevant certificate is as follows: 

• certain meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines (MP-PROD) (GBHC352) 

Meat products from Hungary that have not undergone the required specific treatment are permitted provided that the fresh meat originates from a territory eligible to import into Great Britain. In relation to FMD as stated above fresh meat from Hungary is permitted. 

Please note that this guidance is only intended for FMD and you will need to check the import requirements in relation to the other diseases referred to in the attestations. 

Rendered animal fats and greaves 

The relevant certificates are as follows: 

• rendered animal fats and greaves intended for human consumption (RFG) (GBHC451) 

Rendered animal fats and greaves from Hungary are permitted provided that the product originates from a territory eligible to import into Great Britain. In relation to FMD as stated above fresh meat from Hungary is permitted. 

Please note that this guidance is only intended for FMD and you will need to check the import requirements in relation to the other diseases referred to in the attestations. 

Dairy 

Dairy products from Hungary must meet the FMD risk mitigating treatment for 12 months after the restrictions are lifted.  After 12 months has elapsed, dairy other than that under column C can comply with the 12-month territory freedom requirement in attestations: GBHC410, GBHC411, GBHC412 and GBHC416 – AH/T101 (b) and GBHC414 – AH/T102 (b). GBHC415 cross refers to GBHC410-414 and therefore can be permitted. These products must meet the requirements of the following health certificate: 

• dairy products for human consumption from third countries or parts thereof authorised in column C of Annex I (Regulation 605/2010) (Milk-HTC) (GBHC413)

If the product falls in the low risk category under BTOM 

Animal casings 

Following the lifting of restrictions, exports of animal casings from Hungary can resume provided all the relevant conditions are met. 

The relevant certificate is as follows: 

• animal casings (CAS) (GBHC370) 

Regarding the following attestation AH/P716 Product requirements – In relation to foot and mouth disease, certifying official veterinarians can use the first option which confirms that the animal casings come from territory/zone with code ….. which is eligible for imports of fresh meat of the species. If the territory/zone is affected by other diseases e.g. African Swine Fever which affect imports of fresh meat, the product will have to be subjected to one of the risk-mitigating treatments and the relevant attestation will need to be certified accordingly. 

Animal by-products (not for human consumption) 

The export of previously suspended or restricted animal by-products can resume provided that all other import conditions are met and all attestations in the relevant export health certificate can be certified (low risk commodities do not require health certification but must still meet all requirements within the relevant health certificate). 

Some commodities from Hungary cannot resume because specific attestations about freedom from FMD cannot currently be certified. These include: 

• colostrum and colostrum products from bovine (GBHC587) 
• fresh or chilled hides and skins of ungulates (GBHC540) 
• milk, milk-based products and milk-derived products (GBHC583) 
• untreated blood products, excluding those of Equidae, for the manufacture of derived products for purposes outside the feed chain for farmed animals (GBHC502) 
• untreated game trophies or other preparations (GBHC543) – of cloven hoofed animals (including wild swine) only 

Hay and straw 

Imports of hay and straw from Hungary will be permitted from the opening date when the restrictions are lifted.