African swine fever: infected zone in Rome and stop to pig movements

The European Commission has established an infected zone for African swine fever in Lazio with Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1973 of September 1, 2026, published in the Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, 2nd Special Series, no. 86 of November 2, 2026. The measure, notified under number C(2026) 6204 and identified by code 26CE2670, imposes provisional emergency measures on Italy intended to apply until November 30, 2026. The Italian language text is the only authentic text and is relevant for the purposes of the EEA.

The Riano outbreak and the regulatory framework

According to the recitals, Italy informed the European Commission following the confirmation, on August 27, 2026, of an outbreak of African swine fever in wild boar in the municipality of Riano, in the Lazio region, in an area previously free from this disease. The competent Italian authority therefore established an infected zone with the general control measures provided for by Union legislation.

The decision is based on Article 259, paragraph 2, of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on animal health and refers to:

• Articles 63 to 66 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, which govern the measures in the event of an outbreak of a category A disease in wild animals;
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, which establishes special control measures for African swine fever, in particular Article 3, point (b), and Article 6;
• Article 8, paragraphs 2, 3, and 4, of the same Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, relating to type II restricted zones.

The stated objective is twofold: to define the infected zone at the Union level, in collaboration with the Member State, to prevent unnecessary disruption of intra-Union trade and to avoid third countries introducing unjustified obstacles to Italian goods. The Commission justifies the urgency due to the serious and persistent nature of the new epidemiological situation and the increased immediate risk of further spread.

Boundaries of the infected zone

The annex delimits the affected area within the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital:

• to the south, the Grande Raccordo Anulare (A90);
• to the west, the regional road SR 2 bis Via Cassia Veientana and the state road SS 2 Via Cassia;
• to the east, via Nomentana (SP 22a), via Sandro Pertini (SP 25b), via Castelchiodato (SP 25a) and the A1/E45 Autostrada del Sole motorway;
• to the north, the border between the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital and the province of Viterbo, in the section between the SS 2 Via Cassia and the A1/E45 motorway.

For all these areas, the final application date indicated in the annex coincides with November 30, 2026.

Block of movements and exemption for treated meats

In the infected zone, the special control measures provided for restricted zones II apply, supplemented by the provisions of Article 8, paragraphs 3 and 4, of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 and those of Articles 63 to 66 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.

The most relevant point for the pig farming sector is the ban on moving consignments of kept pigs and their related products from the infected zone to other Member States and to third countries. Only one exception is provided: the competent authority may decide not to apply the ban to meat products, including casings, obtained from pigs kept in the area and subjected to the relevant risk reduction treatment in accordance with Annex VII of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.

Duration, review, and alignment with the national level

The decision applies until November 30, 2026, and was adopted pending the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, which will review it at its next meeting. The measure was signed in Brussels on September 1, 2026, by Olivér Várhelyi, member of the Commission.

On the domestic level, the measure integrates into the work of the Extraordinary Commissioner for African Swine Fever, who has already adopted Ordinance No. 4/2026 and the strategic operational plans for the Piedmont-Liguria and Tuscany-Emilia-Romagna sub-clusters, the latter of which is attached to Ordinance No. 7/2026 of August 10, 2026.

For breeders, slaughterhouses, and logistics operators in the northern quadrant of Rome, the calendar is now binding: until November 30, any consignment of pigs or derived products leaving the delimited area cannot be destined for another Member State or a third country, except for risk reduction treatment on meats. The November 30 deadline is not automatically extendable: the maintenance, modification, or removal of the infected zone will depend on the review by the standing committee and the epidemiological evolution.

Official source: Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, 2nd Special Series — European Union, no. 86 of November 2, 2026. Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1973 of September 1, 2026, on temporary emergency measures against African swine fever in Italy (C(2026) 6204; 26CE2670).