Measures taken regarding foot-and-mouth disease are effective

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 03. 14. 10:35

Hungarian disease control measures against the foot-and-mouth disease virus are effective, therefore EU countries can lift import restrictions on our country, said István Nagy. The Minister of Agriculture added that according to the European Commission’s implementing decision, an unlawful import ban cannot be applied due to the Hungarian animal health situation.

The Minister drew attention to the fact that the European Commission has issued an implementing decision aimed at preventing the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. In addition to this decision, there is no place for other Member State measures that restrict the free movement of goods in the single internal market of the European Union or are contrary to the regulations of the Animal Health Regulation. The EU has thus approved that the Kisbajcs cattle farm and its 10-kilometer radius are a restricted area in which eradication and restrictive measures prescribed by EU legislation must be implemented. This also means that outside this area, member states cannot introduce restrictive measures against our country, which the committee drew attention to when the decision was published, he added.

István Nagy emphasized that, based on this, all member states must withdraw their import restrictive measures previously introduced under national jurisdiction. Hungary is prepared to introduce similar measures in response if another European member state does not withdraw its import restrictions, the head of the agricultural ministry stated.