FMD (foot and mouth disease) has been confirmed in a herd of dairy cattle in Hungary. This marks Hungary’s first FMD outbreak in over 50 years.
The case was found on a cattle farm in the North West of Hungary, near the border with Slovakia. Observed clinical signs were reported to national authorities who formally confirmed infection with FMD on 7 March. The serotype is currently unconfirmed.
The herd of 1,400 cattle are being culled, while control zones and movement restrictions have been put in place. Preventative measures have also been implemented in neighbouring country Slovakia, with the current outbreak in Hungary being within 2km of the border.
Earlier this year, FMD virus serotype O was confirmed in a herd of water buffalo near Brandenberg, in the Markisch Odèland district of Germany (to the east of Berlin). This is the first instance of FMD in Germany since 1988.
The cases were confirmed on 10 January 2025 and affected three water buffalo out of a herd of 14. The remaining animals in the herd were culled to prevent further spread.
200 pigs on a nearby farm were also culled as a precaution.
No further cases of FMD have been found in Germany. The State of Brandeburg and Berlin initially imposed a standstill for cloven-hoofed animals. This standstill lasted until 17 January 2025 in Brandenburg and 27 January in Berlin.
Veal calves were moved from Brandenburg to the Netherlands before FMD was detected, but no cases have been reported in the Netherlands following testing. The Dutch Government imposed a ban on the movement of calves while investigations and testing were carried out. These restrictions were lifted on 24 January 2025.
Nine farms in Belgium were placed under precautionary quarantine following the movement of animals from Brandenburg to Belgium. However, no cases have been detected.
UK response
The UK Government stepped up measures to prevent the spread of FMD with a ban on imports of cattle, pigs and sheep and their products from Germany to Great Britain.
GB health certificates will no longer be issued for animals susceptible to FMD including all live animals and fresh meat and animal products. Details can be read via: GOV.UK | Government introduces import ban of cattle, pigs and sheep from Germany to protect farmers after Foot and Mouth case
The government has now also introduced a ban on commercial imports of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and other non- domestic ruminants and porcines such as deer and their untreated products, such as fresh meat and dairy from Hungary.
Defra has also confirmed a ban on personal imports from Hungary and Slovakia – these include meat, meat products, milk and dairy products, and animal by-products of pigs and ruminants.
The government is taking action to prevent consignments entering Great Britain that were already in process.
NFU comment
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “The confirmed outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Hungary is very worrying news, particularly as it’s the second confirmed case in Europe in recent months. It serves as a reminder for UK keepers to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases.
“We welcome the swift action taken in reporting the disease so that we can minimise the risk to all livestock keepers. It is now paramount that we make sure our borders are secure so that we don’t risk importing the disease into the UK.
“We are calling on the government to strictly enforce a ban on personal imports of all meat and milk and meat and milk products from the EU.
“While the FMD source remains unidentified both in Germany and Hungary, stricter border controls are essential. The government must also ensure that those fighting illegal meat imports, including the Border Force, have the resources they need to stamp out this practice.”
Read: NFU calls for stronger deterrents for illegal personal imports
Vaccines
Suitable vaccines against FMDV (foot and mouth disease virus), serotype O are available in the German FMD antigen bank. Once activated by the Länder, the FMD antigen bank can produce the necessary vaccines within a few days.
Surveillance information will determine any further measures that may need to be taken, as well as whether and how to use a vaccine.
There is no vaccine coverage in Hungary.
“We are calling on the government to strictly enforce a ban on personal imports of all meat and milk and meat and milk products from the EU.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
Trade impact and considerations
Germany:
Ruminant livestock movements were already stopped because of bluetongue, although this previous stoppage did not apply to live pigs as they are not susceptible to bluetongue.
As Germany has lost its FMD free status it cannot export many products of animal origin (POAO) to third countries, including the UK.
The Netherlands also banned the movement of calves from Dutch veal producers until the 19th of January. This was because of the high number of farms which had imported calves from Brandenberg since 1 December 2024.
The commercial import of cattle, pigs, sheep, deer, buffaloes and their products such as meat, and dairy from Germany that has not undergone specific heat treatment is no longer permitted to protect farmers and their livelihoods. GB health certificates will no longer be issued for animals susceptible to FMD including all live animals and fresh meat and animal products.
In light of the FMD outbreak, as of 15th January, it is no longer permitted for travellers to bring unpackaged meat, meat products, milk and dairy products, certain composite products and animal by products of pigs and ruminants into Great Britain from the EU, EFTA states, Faroe Islands and Greenland. Commercially packaged products of those above, from the EU are limited to 2kg per traveller. Additionally, these products may not be brought to Great Britain from Germany, even if commercially packaged. This is a significant tightening in personal imports policy as previously there have been no restrictions to stop EU travellers bringing in large volumes of Product Of Animal Origin for personal consumption.
The new restrictions will also shine a greater spotlight on any illegal meat imports. The government must ensure that those fighting against illegal meat imports, including our Port Health Authorities and UK Border Force, have the resources they need to stamp out this practice and that the consequences of undertaking such illegal activity be suitably severe so as to act as a disincentive. Read: NFU calls for stronger deterrents for illegal personal imports
Automatic regionalisation
Throughout the EU there is a policy of automatic regionalisation, whereby animals and POAO (Products Of Animal Origin) from Germany can move to other Member States providing they do not originate from the 10km zone.
Great Britain has not yet recognised regionalisation, so products cannot be certified from anywhere in Germany to move direct to Great Britain.
Under the TCA (UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement), Great Britain will look at any requests for regionalisation based on epidemiological information. (Northern Ireland has a more complicated situation as it mirrors Southern Ireland, so must adopt the EU’s stance on automatic regionalisation.)
Until such a request has been received and considered, POAO cannot move directly from anywhere in Germany, or indirectly moving from Germany to another Member State, into Great Britain. These products cannot be certified.
Port Health Authorities have been instructed to hold any product that has come from Germany at ports (live animals, germinal products, any untreated products of animal origin (eg any fresh or frozen pork meat), hay and straw.
Importers will be given the option to either return or destroy, but this option hasn’t been issued yet as guidance.
Commodity restrictions
As of 13 January 2025, the UK Office for SPS Trade Assurance has amended its third country listings to suspend the following commodities from FMD-susceptible animals from the whole territory of Germany:
- Live ungulates: through the removal of BOV-X, BOV-Y, OVI-X, OVI-Y, RUM, and SUI certificates from Germany’s entry in the live ungulates third country listing.
- Ruminant and porcine germplasm: through amendments to the third country listings for:
- porcine semen,
- bovine semen,
- bovine embryos,
- ovine and caprine embryos,
- and ovine and caprine semen.
- Porcine semen from the whole territory of Germany is already restricted due to an outbreak of ASF.
- It is now additionally restricted due to the outbreak of FMD.
- Fresh meat of ungulates: through the removal of BOV, OVI, RUF, RUW, SUF, and SUW certificates from Germany’s entry in the fresh meat of ungulates third country listing.
- Meat products that have not been subject to at least heat treatment D1.
- Treatment D1 requires that products are subject to ‘heating so that an internal temperature of 70 °C or greater is maintained for a minimum of 30 minutes’.
- This has been achieved through the application of treatment D1 in columns 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 in the meat products third country listing.
- Imports of meat products from FMD-susceptible animals subject to heat treatment D1 are still permitted.
- Raw and pasteurised milk and raw and pasteurised milk products (including colostrum): through amendments to columns A and B in Germany’s entry in the milk and milk products third country listing.
- Imports of milk and milk products under column C are still permitted.
For more information on EU and EFTA states approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), visit: GOV.UK | EU and EFTA countries approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain
Hungary
There have been no imports of live FMD susceptible animals (including sheep, goats, cattle and pigs) from Hungary in the last 30 days (covering 2 incubation periods, as per the standard tracing approach).
There have also been no imports of live FMD susceptible animals from Slovakia in the last 30 days.
From 7 March 2025, the import of all live ungulates and FMD-susceptible species from Hungary has been temporarily suspended and investigations are ongoing regarding the restriction of imports of live FMD susceptible animals from Slovakia.
For more information, read Defra's preliminary outbreak assessment of FMD in Hungary
Personal import restrictions
Restrictions on personal imports of commodities from susceptible animals (primarily ruminants and porcines) from the EU in response to the FMD outbreak reflect the recent tightening of ASF controls:
- All unpackaged ruminant and porcine commodities will be restricted from the entire territory of the EU.
- All commercially packaged ruminant and porcine commodities from the EU are limited to 2kg per traveller, and must bear an identification or health mark (or commercial labelling if it is an animal by-product) to evidence it is commercially produced.
- No ruminant or porcine commodities will be permitted from the entire territory of Germany, including commercially packaged commodities.
- Susceptible animal commodities include bovine, caprine, ovine, cervid, porcine and camelid products.
- Certain exemptions apply for infant milk, medical foods and certain composite products (e.g. chocolate and biscuits).
- Live animals, germplasm and untreated wool, hair, skins and hides are not permitted for personal import under separate rules.
Spotting the signs
FMD affects cattle, sheep and pigs. The last outbreak in Great Britain was in 2007. Currently, there are no cases or control zones in the UK.
For information on spotting the signs, visit: GOV.UK | Foot and mouth disease: how to spot and report it
- Signs of foot and mouth disease
- Report foot and mouth disease
- How foot and mouth disease is spread
- Preventing and controlling foot and mouth disease
