Azerbaijan imposes temporary ban on animal imports from several countries

Azerbaijan has introduced temporary restrictions on the import of certain animals and animal products following disease outbreaks in parts of Europe and Africa.

According to the Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency (AQSA), the decision was made in line with official data from the World Organization for Animal Health, which reported recent cases of serious animal diseases in several regions. These include bluetongue disease in North Macedonia’s South-East Statistical Region and Croatia’s Splitsko-Dalmatinska Canton, Newcastle disease in Bulgaria’s Yambol region, and highly pathogenic avian influenza in Spain’s Castilla-La Mancha and Botswana’s Chobe District.

To prevent the spread of these infections into the country, the Food Safety Agency has temporarily restricted the import of all types of live large and small ruminants, camels, as well as their products, live birds, and poultry products from the affected zones. The restrictions are being implemented based on the zoning principle and in accordance with the OIE’s Health Code for Terrestrial Animals.

In addition, the agency has called on the State Customs Committee to take the necessary enforcement measures at border checkpoints.