Animal Plant Health Agency
This page provides details on particular issues or changes that importers and exporters may need to be aware of.
You can read a collection of all the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) guidance and forms for importing and exporting live animals or animal products.
Defras animal disease monitoring collection covers major, notifiable or new and emerging animal disease outbreaks internationally and in the UK.
Chronic wasting disease (CDW) outside the UK
From 23 June 2023, Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and the Crown Dependencies (Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) have suspended the import of live cervids and high risk cervid products, including urine hunting lures, from countries where CWD has been reported.
In addition, fresh cervid meat cannot be imported into Great Britain from countries affected with CWD unless it complies with the supplementary guarantee in the relevant health certificate.
CWD has been reported in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Canada, USA and the Republic of Korea.
The following safeguard measures give effect to these decisions. They are published on behalf of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (England), the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd (Wales), and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands (Scotland).
Read the .
These special measures apply from 23 June 2023 until they are revoked or amended.
For more information about the risk of CWD being introduced into Great Britain, read the qualitative risk assessments.
Find out the countries, territories and regions approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain.
Epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD) in Europe
Epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD) has been reported for the first time in Europe. Read Epizootic haemorrhagic disease in Europe for more detail on outbreaks.
Read how to prevent, spot and report epizootic haemorrhagic disease for information on the latest situation and advice on measures to protect against the disease. Find out how to:
Contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to find out more about current EHD import restrictions in place for:
- live cattle, sheep, goats, deer and other ruminants
- germinal products (semen, ova and embryos) of cattle, sheep, goats, deer and other ruminants
Small hive beetle in Runion, an overseas territory of France
Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) has suspended the import of bees, apiculture products and used beekeeping equipment from Runion, an overseas territory of France. This is due to an outbreak of small hive beetle. These measures are necessary to protect bee health in the UK.
These special measures apply from 26 May 2023 until they are revoked or amended.
The following safeguard measures give effect to this decision. These are published on behalf of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (England), the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd (Wales), and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands (Scotland).
Read the:
Small hive beetle in the region of Calabria, Italy
The UK has suspended the import of bees, apiculture products and used beekeeping equipment into Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) from the region of Calabria in Italy. This is due to an ongoing outbreak of small hive beetle. These measures are necessary to protect bee health in the UK.
The following safeguard measures give effect to this decision. These are published on behalf of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (England), the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd (Wales), and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands (Scotland).
Read the:
These special measures apply from 17 January 2023 and will continue to apply until they are revoked or amended.