2 March 2026: Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Updated 19 March 2026
© Crown copyright 2026
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/official-veterinary-surgeon-ovs-notes/2-march-2026-outbreak-of-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina
OVS note number: 2026/12
Date: 2 March 2026
Purpose
To inform you that, due to a recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, imports of the following commodities from Bosnia and Herzegovina are suspended from 25 February 2026:
- fresh poultry meat
- poultry meat products, unless subject to treatment ‘D’ or higher
Background
Bosnia and Herzegovina have notified WOAH of an outbreak of HPAI in a commercial poultry flock, which was confirmed on 25 February 2026. As a result, Bosnia and Herzegovina have lost their HPAI-free status.
OVS note 2026/11 was issued on 27 February 2026 notifying of the outbreak and requesting that commercial imports of susceptible commodities from Bosnia and Herzegovina be held while import restrictions were implemented to mitigate the risk of HPAI.
Import restrictions have now been implemented. The UK Office for SPS Trade Assurance amended its third country listings on 2 March 2026 to suspend imports of the following commodities from the whole territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina:
- fresh poultry meat – this has been achieved through the insertion of a closing date of 25 February 2026 in column 6A of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s entry for fresh poultry meat (‘POU’) in the Poultry and Poultry Products third country listing
- poultry meat products that have not been subject to at least heat treatment ‘D’ (that is, ‘a minimum temperature of 70°C which must be reached throughout the meat and/or stomachs, bladders and intestines during the processing of meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestine’) – this has been achieved through the application of treatment ‘D’ in column 7 of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s entry in the Meat Products third country listing
Contact point for enquiries
Email: imports@apha.gov.uk
Imports and EU Trade Team