Brussels Widens Emergency Sheep and Goat Pox Zones Across Greece

The European Commission has widened the emergency protection and surveillance zones in Greece after 41 new outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox, under Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2123 of 17 September 2026. The decision, published in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series, 22 September 2026), amends Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207 and replaces its annex with a new list of restricted areas and deadlines. It was notified to the Greek authorities under document C(2026) 6699, only the Greek text is authentic, and it carries EEA relevance.

A disease that disrupts intra-Union trade

Sheep pox and goat pox is an infectious viral disease affecting caprine and ovine animals that can have a severe impact on the affected animal population and on the profitability of farming, disturbing movements of consignments of those animals and their products within the Union and exports to third countries. The Commission states that an outbreak carries a serious risk of spreading to other establishments keeping such animals.

The measure rests on Regulation (EU) 2016/429 (the Animal Health Law), in particular Article 259(1). Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 requires a restricted zone comprising a protection zone, a surveillance zone and, where necessary, further restricted zones. Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207 of 29 August 2024 laid down the original emergency measures for Greece; it was last amended by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1931 of 4 August 2026.

Forty-one outbreaks in fourteen regional units

Greece notified the Commission of forty-one outbreaks in establishments where caprine or ovine animals were kept, reported between 31 July and 8 September 2026. The affected regional units are:

• Achaia, Aitoloakarnania, Argolida, Arkadia, Arta, Ilia, Kastoria, Kavala, Kozani, Larisa, Preveza, Rodopi, Serres and Thasos.

Some of the new outbreaks were located outside the restricted zones already established after previous outbreaks, specifically in the regional units of Argolida and Arta, where the disease had not previously been reported.

New zones, radii and deadlines

The annex defines protection zones within a radius of 5 kilometres and surveillance zones within a radius of 20 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates, together with further restricted zones covering entire regional units. The measures apply at least until:

• 30 November 2026 for most of the listed areas;
• 1 December 2026 for the wider regional units;
• 31 December 2026 for the outermost further restricted zones;
• 1 October 2026 for Laconia, Argolida, Kastoria, Florina, Corinthia and Ioannina.

The size of the zones and the duration of the measures follow Article 64(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, the rules of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 and the international standards of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

Procedure and addressee

The decision was adopted in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, signed in Brussels on 17 September 2026 by Olivér Várhelyi, Member of the Commission, and addressed to the Hellenic Republic. The Commission justified acting urgently, citing the need to prevent the disease from spreading further from the affected establishments to other parts of Greece or to other Member States.

For Greek livestock farmers, the practical effect is a continued ban on moving sheep and goats and their products out of the designated protection, surveillance and further restricted zones, with knock-on disruption to intra-community trade and to exports to third countries. The revised deadlines mean the restrictions will remain in force in much of the country until at least the end of 2026.

Source: Official Journal of the European Union, L series, 2026/2123, 22.9.2026 (official reference: CELEX L_202602123).