📅 Update: March 7, 2025
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), also known as aphthous fever, has resurfaced in Europe. On March 7, 2025, Hungarian health authorities confirmed an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at a livestock farm in the Győr region.
Following this confirmation, the United Kingdom has immediately suspended the import of meat and live animals from Hungary, imposing strict restrictions to prevent the virus from spreading.
This situation has a direct impact on businesses exporting animal products to the UK and raises critical concerns about international trade, logistics, and health security in the agri-food sector.
What is Foot-and-Mouth Disease and why is it a trade issue?
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cattle, pigs, sheep, and other ruminants. While it does not pose a risk to humans, it has devastating consequences for livestock farms and can severely disrupt trade in animal products.
The virus spreads quickly through:
✔ Direct contact between infected animals
✔ Contaminated surfaces (vehicles, equipment, animal feed)
✔ Aerosols and passive transport via humans or objects
For this reason, countries with active outbreaks are excluded from exporting meat and live animals to prevent the spread of the infection.
UK restrictions on meat and live animals: what you need to know
In accordance with EU and international regulations (OIE and FAO), the UK health authorities have imposed an immediate ban on the following categories of products from Hungary:
✅ Live animals intended for breeding or slaughter
✅ Fresh meat and meat products that have not undergone specific treatments (D1, D, C, or B)
✅ Milk, colostrum, and dairy products that have not been treated in compliance with EU Regulation 2010/605
✅ Animal by-products that have not been processed to eliminate the risk of infection
These restrictions apply exclusively to exports to the UK, while trade within the European Union remains regulated by the existing health protocols.
What to do if your shipment is blocked at the border?
If you have already shipped meat, dairy products, or live animals to the UK, your goods may be detained at Border Control Posts (BCP) for sanitary inspections.
👉 Here’s what you can do to manage the situation:
🔹 Contact the Port Health authorities at the entry point to obtain specific instructions on customs clearance or shipment rejection
🔹 Consider returning the goods to Hungary, pending approval from the EU veterinary authorities
🔹 Consult your transporter or logistics provider to evaluate the most efficient alternative solutions
If your shipment is groupage (mixed cargo) and includes products not affected by the ban, it may be possible to separate the load and clear only the compliant goods.
Veterinary certifications no longer valid for the UK
As of March 7, 2025, all health certificates for exporting animal products from Hungary to the UK are no longer valid.
This means that no new shipments of meat or live animals will be accepted until further notice from British and Hungarian health authorities.
Official entities and regulatory references
To stay informed about the restrictions and potential lifting of the import ban, we recommend following these official sources:
🔗 DEFRA – UK Government (for updates on restrictions and border controls)
🔗 EU Regulation 2010/605 (for sanitary rules on foot-and-mouth disease)
🔗 OIE – World Organisation for Animal Health (for disease classification and restricted zones)
Impact of the outbreak on meat and live animal exports
Foot-and-mouth disease is not just a health issue but also has significant economic consequences. The trade restrictions result in:
🔸 Financial losses for farmers and processing industries
🔸 Disruptions to the global agri-food supply chain
🔸 Increased transportation and logistics costs for detained goods
The temperature-controlled food export industry faces major challenges in ensuring flexibility and safety in international shipments.
Fresh Ways: updates and support for your shipments
We continuously monitor the situation to assist our clients in managing temperature-controlled food shipments.
If you need help with blocked shipments, documentation processing or transport solutions, we’re here to assist you.
📩 Contact us at dogana@freshways.it for personalized support.
