Mandatory confinement of poultry in Belgium against avian influenza

The Minister of Agriculture D. Clarinval signed a ministerial decree on November 6, 2026, re-confining all poultry and captive birds kept in registered establishments in Belgium. The text was published in the Belgian Official Gazette (Moniteur belge) on November 13, 2026, under reference [C − 2026/008203], page 60431, and enters into force the day following its publication, namely November 14, 2026. It was issued within the framework of the “increased risk period” to combat highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The normative framework of the decision

The decree is based on the law of March 24, 1987, regarding animal health (Article 8, paragraph 1, 1°, and Article 9, 3°), the law of February 4, 2000, creating the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, the royal decree of November 16, 2001, entrusting complementary missions to the Agency, and the royal decree of May 5, 2008, regarding the fight against avian influenza, of which Article 3/5 was last amended by the royal decree of December 19, 2025. The publication is placed under the header of the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain.

The recitals describe a “rapid and significant” deterioration of the epidemiological situation: an increase in contaminations among wild birds and outbreaks in poultry farms in the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, along the migratory routes leading to Belgium. Furthermore, the cooling of climatic conditions in Northern Europe has brought more migratory birds onto Belgian territory, and the first cases of the new season have already been detected there in wild birds. The government justifies the reversal by the fact that the easing decided in the spring of 2026 was based on the strong decrease in viral circulation observed during the summer months, circumstances which have “changed rapidly and substantially.”

Three obligations for all bird keepers

Article 1 of the decree imposes three distinct measures:

• Confinement: all poultry and captive birds in registered establishments must be confined or protected in such a way as to avoid any contact with wild birds; this obligation does not apply to ratites (ostriches and related species).
• Feeding and watering: the feeding and watering of captive birds must take place indoors or in a manner that makes any contact with wild birds impossible.
• Drinking water: it is forbidden to water poultry and other captive birds with water coming from surface water reservoirs or rainwater accessible to wild birds, unless this water has been treated to inactivate any viruses present.

Invoked Urgency and Immediate Entry into Force

The preamble cites urgency and decides not to wait for the opinion of the legislation section of the Council of State, on the grounds that such a wait “would delay the entry into force of the necessary preventive measures and compromise their effectiveness in a context of rapid worsening of the health situation.” The risk is described as “current and immediate,” given the contaminations already observed in Belgium and neighboring countries, as well as the continuation of migratory movements.

The decree contains only two articles and sets no expiration date: the measures apply from November 14, 2026, with no announced end date. They target all poultry and captive birds from registered establishments, thus including both professional farms and private holders subject to registration.

The practical impact is direct for the Belgian poultry sector: bringing animals indoors, rearranging outdoor runs, and monitoring water points and watering systems, in a context where the recitals remind that the introduction of the virus into holdings could have “significant consequences for animal health as well as for the poultry sector.” Holders have a window of only one day between publication and entry into force to comply with the three obligations.

Official source: Belgian Official Gazette of November 13, 2026, ministerial decree of November 6, 2026, concerning measures taken within the framework of the “increased risk period” to combat highly pathogenic avian influenza, [C − 2026/008203], p. 60431.