UPDATE: Import Alert: Restrictions on Duck Commodities Originating from or Transiting the APHIS-defined European Poultry Trade Region (Excluding Great Britain), Bulgaria, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sent this bulletin at 01/21/2025 11:30 AM EST
Issuance Date: January 17, 2025
12:50 PM, U.S. Eastern
Effective date: January 27, 2025
NOTE: On October 1, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) restricted importation of live ducks and unprocessed duck products and byproducts originating from or transiting through certain European countries in response to France vaccinating against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This import alert provides updated restrictions for duck commodities originating from or transiting through those countries. For information on restrictions specific to avian commodities originating from or transiting through France, please see the import alert entitled “Update: Import Alert: Restrictions on Avian Commodities Originating from or Transiting France.”
Live avian restrictions: Effective January 27, 2025, and until further notice, APHIS VS is lifting restrictions on the importation of live ducks imposed due to France’s HPAI vaccination program. Specifically, APHIS VS will now permit the importation of live ducks that are not vaccinated against HPAI, including duck hatching eggs derived from unvaccinated flocks, originating from or transiting the APHIS-defined European Poultry Trade Region (EPTR) and/or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). Live ducks from these countries must continue to meet all applicable requirements for the importation of live poultry.
APHIS VS previously restricted the importation of poultry, commercial birds, other types of birds (research, performing), ratites, any avian hatching eggs, unprocessed avian products and by-products, and certain fresh poultry products from Bulgaria and Croatia due to the presence of HPAI and Newcastle disease (ND) in those regions. These restrictions remain in effect.
Animal product and by-products restrictions: Effective January 27, 2025, and until further notice, APHIS VS is partially lifting restrictions imposed due to France’s HPAI vaccination program. All avian (bird, poultry, among others) products and by-products originating from or transiting the regions are still subject to HPAI-related import restrictions, including those summarized below. However, only unprocessed avian products from vaccinated avian species are prohibited. Specific restrictions can differ by region and may change as additional epidemiologic information becomes available. Details of region-specific import restrictions are available through the Veterinary Services (VS) Permitting Assistant.
Unprocessed avian products and by-products (including eggs and egg products; meat; and hunter harvested, non-fully finished avian trophies):
Unprocessed avian products from vaccinated avian species, such as duck (currently only from France), are prohibited. Unprocessed avian products from unvaccinated avian species must be accompanied by a VS import permit and/or government certification.
Processed avian products and by-products (including eggs and egg products):
- If arriving as cargo, must be accompanied by a VS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the products or by-products were treated in accordance with APHIS requirements.
- If arriving in passenger baggage,
- must appear “thoroughly cooked” throughout (applies only to cooked, perishable poultry meat and poultry meat products and/or cooked, perishable egg/egg products intended for human consumption), OR
- must be shelf stable as a result of APHIS-approved packaging and cooking (for example, packed in hermetically sealed containers and fully cooked by a commercial method after such packing to produce articles that are shelf stable without refrigeration), OR
- must be accompanied by a VS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the products or by-products were treated in accordance with APHIS requirements.
Fresh, unprocessed shell/table eggs and egg products, void of the shell (for example, liquid eggs and dried egg whites) arriving as cargo: Importation from vaccinated avian species is prohibited unless they are consigned from the port of arrival directly to an APHIS-approved breaking and pasteurization facility. An import permit and/or certificate is not required for these shipments if they are consigned directly to an APHIS approved establishment. Importation from unvaccinated avian species must be accompanied by government certification.
More information
More information is available on the APHIS website at the links below.
- Avian Influenza: disease, prevention, and control information.
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