المملكة: Temporarily banning the import of poultry from France due to the outbreak of bird flu

The Food and Drug Authority imposed a temporary and immediate ban on Importing poultry meat, table eggs and their products from the “Cotes-dArmor” department in the Republic of France, in response to confirmed international reports of the outbreak of highly virulent avian influenza in that region.

And Asharqia Chamber All its subscribers must provide details of the urgent decision it received through the Union of Saudi Chambers, which is based on an official telegram from the Ministry of Commerce that includes the directives issued by the Food and Drug General Authority regarding global epidemiological developments.

The decision includes a ban on imports from the French province of Cotes-dArmor, based on the immediate notification report issued by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) in late December 2025, which confirmed the presence of confirmed infections with the virus.

The authority excluded shipments from Poultry meat and table eggs that have undergone sufficient heat treatment to eliminate the highly virulent avian influenza virus, to ensure the continued flow of safe supplies to local markets without interruption.

The regulatory authorities stipulated in order to clear the excluded products that they must fully comply with health requirements and standard specifications approved in the Kingdom, to ensure that they are free of any contaminants that may harm public health.

The Authority obliged importers to attach official health certificates issued by approved authorities in France, proving conclusively that the imported products are free of the virus that causes the disease or that they have been subjected to the necessary heat treatment to eliminate it.

The rapid action came after monitoring the report of the World Organization for Animal Health issued on December 21, 2025 regarding the epidemiological situation in France.

These measures are based on the decision of the Food and Drug General Authority issued on the twenty-second of the month of Rajab of the year 1447 AH, which reflects the vigilance of the regulatory authorities and their continuous follow-up of food safety reports in all countries of the world.

This ban aims to fill any gap that may lead to the transmission of the disease to local livestock or affect the health of citizens and residents, while maintaining a balance between protecting public health and the availability of food products.

The Ministry of Commerce and the Federation of Saudi Chambers continue continuous coordination to circulate these controls to all importers and chamber of commerce subscribers to ensure immediate compliance and avoid any losses that may result from Importing prohibited shipments.