Written question – Imports of sheep and goats from countries with active foot-and-mouth disease – E-001823/2025

Question for written answer  E-001823/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Galato Alexandraki (ECR), Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR)

During the Easter period, Greece’s Ministry of Rural Development and Food authorised imports of live sheep from Slovakia and Hungary (as domestic production alone was insufficient to meet demand), despite the fact that active cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been recorded in these countries. Meanwhile, other countries such as Australia, the US and England have imposed strict bans not only on animals but also on animal products from these specific regions.

The ministry’s official position comprised a recommendation to avoid imports and to impose a mandatory quarantine of 21 days on imported animals, without specifying whether and how these measures were complied with in practice.

Can the Commission therefore answer the following:

• 1.Is there any monitoring evidence to demonstrate that the full implementation of the envisaged 21-day quarantine period and the related veterinary checks on sheep imported from Slovakia and Hungary were ensured?
• 2.In practice, how does it monitor the correct application of EU rules by Member States in order to prevent outbreaks and protect the health security of European livestock farming?

Submitted: 6.5.2025