Changes

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry received an official report of an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Hungary. On 7 March 2025, Hungary notified the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) of an outbreak of FMD. Ruminant reproductive material collected in Hungary on or after 3 February 2025 will be unable to meet Australia’s import conditions for FMD.

As Hungary is not free from FMD and the outbreak of FMD has occurred so close to the border with Slovakia and that both the protection and surveillance zones extend into Slovakia, the import conditions for ruminant reproductive material from Slovakia no longer manage the level of biosecurity risk to a level that meets Australia’s Appropriate Level of Protection (ALOP). Ruminant reproductive material collected in Slovakia on or after 3 February 2025 will also be unable to meet Australia’s import conditions for FMD.

In response to the outbreak, the department has amended the veterinary health certificate requirements for bovine, caprine and ovine semen and embryos from the European Union to include a declaration that semen and/or embryos were not collected from donors resident in Hungary and/or Slovakia from and including 3 February 2025. This means bovine, caprine and ovine semen and embryos collected in Hungary and/or Slovakia on or after 3 February 2025 will be unable to meet Australia’s import conditions for FMD.

Bovine, caprine and ovine semen and embryos semen and embryos collected from donors resident in Hungary or Slovakia before 3 February 2025 may still be eligible for import to Australia if all import conditions and veterinary health certificate requirements can be met.

More information will be made available via BICON alerts, industry advice notices and other official communication channels if the situation changes or Hungary regains its status as FMD-free without vaccination.

Who does this notice affect:
Importers of ruminant reproductive material from the European Union, Veterinary and Export Meat Branch, Brokers.

Further information:
Please contact Horse, Livestock and Bird Imports at reproimports@aff.gov.au or by phone on 1800 900 090 (prompt 1, then prompt 1, and ask for the Horse, Livestock and Bird Imports section).