EU Backs Poland's Fight Against Bird Flu Surge

The European Commission has approved Poland's proposed measures to combat bird flu after the country reported 79 outbreaks of HPAI in poultry in 2025. These measures include adjusting risk area boundaries, decreasing poultry density, and enhancing disinfection protocols in high-outbreak regions. The effectiveness will be evaluated by the Commission in late April.

The European Commission has approved a comprehensive set of measures put forward by Poland aimed at curbing the recent surge in bird flu cases, specifically the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). These steps, announced by the Polish agriculture ministry, will be implemented with immediate effect.

Poland has experienced a significant rise in bird flu cases, with reports indicating 79 outbreaks of HPAI in 2025, a marked increase from 50 the previous year. Consequently, the European Commission has been deliberating on imposing emergency measures to control the situation.

The Polish agriculture ministry revealed that the European Commission has agreed to 13 specific measures, such as expanding the areas deemed at risk and intensifying disinfection procedures. These interventions will primarily target three regions severely impacted by the outbreaks. The effectiveness of these measures will undergo assessment from April 22-24, according to the agriculture ministry.

(With inputs from agencies.)