Avian influenza has become one of the most important diseases affecting international trade in poultry and related products. For veterinarians working with imports, the disease brings constant changes to certification requirements, movement controls, and market stability. The 2025–2026 season has demonstrated again how quickly the situation can evolve across Europe, and how closely the UK must monitor developments to protect both animal health and trade.
In this article, our National Technical Lead for Imports, Patricia Gonzalez, outlines the current challenges avian influenza presents for European trade and UK import controls.
Across the continent, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) circulated at unusually high levels. Between 29 November 2025 and 27 February 2026, European authorities recorded 2,514 detections of HPAI across 32 countries, including 406 cases in domestic birds and 2,108 in wild birds. These numbers remained high even after the winter peak. More than 90% of poultry outbreaks were caused by primary introductions from wild birds rather than spread between farms, showing how difficult it is to protect flocks when the virus is present in the environment.
Earlier in the season, from September to November 2025, Europe had already reported nearly 2,900 detections, demonstrating how widely the virus had established itself. Wildlife contamination affected commercial and backyard flocks, and even vaccinated birds in some situations. A possible spillover event from wild birds to dairy cattle in the Netherlands raised additional concerns about the virus’s behaviour in mammals.
Despite these high numbers, the risk to the general public remains low, and human infections continue to be rare. For people working directly with birds, such as veterinarians and inspectors, the risk is considered low to moderate, reinforcing the importance of awareness and routine biosecurity during inspections and import checks.
The European Union’s surveillance infrastructure plays a major role in understanding and responding to outbreaks. Countries report detections through the Animal Disease Information System (ADIS), supported by analysis from EFSA, ECDC, and the EU Reference Laboratory. This system allows rapid regionalisation, meaning trade can continue from unaffected areas even when outbreaks occur elsewhere, reducing unnecessary disruption.
In the United Kingdom, the situation in Europe continues to shape domestic risk. HPAI H5N1 was confirmed at a premises in Yorkshire on 3 March 2026, prompting immediate disease control measures. The arrival of highly infected migratory birds from Europe during autumn 2025 also led to a rapid increase in wild‑bird detections across Great Britain, and DEFRA raised the incursion risk level accordingly.
For veterinary import professionals, these developments have very practical consequences. Each new European outbreak can change import conditions within hours. Health certificates may be updated, consignments may face extra checks, and certain products—such as live birds, hatching eggs, day‑old chicks, unprocessed poultry meat, captive birds, and germinal products—may be temporarily restricted. Even widely used products like processed egg ingredients can be affected when disease zoning shifts unexpectedly.
Because the UK relies heavily on both EU and global suppliers, keeping up‑to‑date with restrictions is essential. Monitoring communications from DEFRA, APHA, and EU authorities is key to avoiding delays, rejected consignments, and supply chain challenges.
This season has shown that avian influenza is no longer a predictable winter disease. It is now a persistent challenge requiring continuous surveillance and flexible trade systems. For veterinarians working in imports, staying informed and proactive is essential to protecting animal health and maintaining safe, efficient trade.
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