Commission redraws avian flu protection zones in Bulgaria and France

The European Commission has redrawn the EU’s avian influenza protection and surveillance zones in Bulgaria and France after fresh outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry holdings. The measure is Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2109 of 17 September 2026, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, L series, on 18 September 2026. It replaces the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2447, the standing act laying down emergency measures against HPAI in certain Member States.

Legal basis and background

The decision rests on Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases, the Animal Health Law, and in particular Article 259(1). It is complemented by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, whose Article 21 requires a restricted zone — protection zone, surveillance zone and, if necessary, further restricted zones — around any outbreak of a category A disease.

The Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2447 had last been amended by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2056 of 8 September 2026, following outbreaks in Bulgaria and France. Since then, France notified the Commission of further HPAI outbreaks in establishments where poultry were kept in the Maine-et-Loire department. The Commission examined the French control measures and accepted that the zones are at a sufficient distance from the affected establishments.

Protection zones

Part A of the new Annex lists the protection zones, with the date until which the measures must be maintained:

• Bulgaria: the village of Rakovski, in Rakovski municipality, Plovdiv region, linked to outbreak BG-HPAI(P)-2026-00011, until 27 September 2026.
• France: six areas in Maine-et-Loire (49) — Brion (east of the A85 motorway), Cuon, Jumelles (east of the A85), La Landes-Chasles, Mouliherne and Linières-Bouton (west of the Route de l’Étang and south of the D62) — linked to outbreaks FR-HPAI(P)-2026-00021, -00022 and -00023, until 30 September 2026.

Surveillance zones and deadlines

Part B sets the wider surveillance zones. In Bulgaria, these cover villages in the municipalities of Rakovski (Shishmantsi, Bolyarino, Momino selo, Strayama), Maritsa (Manolsko Konare, Yasno pole), Brezovo (Padarsko, Borets, Otets Kirilovo, Drangovo) and Kaloyanovo (Glavatar), applicable until 6 October 2026, with Rakovski village running from 28 September to 6 October 2026.

In France, the surveillance zone covers 19 named communes in Maine-et-Loire, including Bocé, Chartrené, Le Guédeniau, Le Vieil-Baugé, Beaufort-en-Vallée, Blou, Fontaine-Guérin, Longué-Jumelles, Auverse, Lasse, Méon, Noyant, Parcay-les-Pins, La Pelerine, Saint-Philbert-du-Peuple, Vernantes and Vernoil-le-Fourrier, until 9 October 2026; the six protection-zone areas carry a shorter window, from 1 to 9 October 2026.

The Annex also retains a surveillance zone in Sweden around parts of the municipalities of Tanum and Strömstad, linked to outbreak SE-HPAI(P)-2026-00003, until 16 September 2026.

No further restricted zones

Part C of the Annex records no further restricted zones in any Member State. Article 1 replaces the Annex in full, and Article 2 addresses the decision to the Member States. The text carries EEA relevance and was notified under document C(2026) 6659. It was adopted in Brussels on 17 September 2026 and signed for the Commission by Olivér Várhelyi, Member of the Commission, after the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed.

The decision matters because HPAI can severely hit the profitability of poultry farming and disrupt trade within the Union and exports to third countries. By fixing the zone boundaries at EU level, the Commission aims to prevent unnecessary disturbance to intra-EU trade and unjustified restrictions imposed by third countries, with the amendments taking effect as soon as possible given the urgency of the epidemiological situation.

Source: Official Journal of the European Union, L series, 2026/2109, 18 September 2026 (official reference: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2109; ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2026/2109/oj).