On 7 August 2026, the Finnish Food Authority amended its decision on the African swine fever (ASF) infected zone in force in Southeast Finland. The geographical boundaries of the infected zone will not change.
The reason for the amendment is the Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1937 adopted the European Commission on 5 August 2026 concerning certain interim emergency measures relating to African swine fever in Finland. The implementing decision obliges Finland to comply with the measures laid down in the Commission’s Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. Some of the measures in the Commission’s Implementing Regulation are stricter than the restrictions in the decision previously issued by the Finnish Food Authority. The adoption of a Commission implementing decision is a standard practice when African swine fever is confirmed in an EU country.
Changes caused by the Commission Implementing Decision
The movement of wild boar’s fresh meat, meat products and any other products of animal origin, by-products and derived products, and carcasses intended for human consumption, inside the infection zone and from the infected zone is prohibited. The prohibition on the movement of meat and animal parts also applies when these are intended for a person’s own use (section 18 of the decision).
The movement of pigs within or out of the infected zone is prohibited. The transfer of the reproductive cells and embryos of kept pigs, the animal by-products derived from them, and the fresh meat and meat products derived from them outside the infected zone is also prohibited (sections 14-17 of the decision).
The actions now prohibited were allowed in the previous decision under certain conditions. It is possible to apply for an exemption to the prohibitions from the Finnish Food Authority. The decision on granting an exemption will be based on a case-by-case assessment.
Other changes
Other prohibitions imposed to prevent the spread of the disease (sections 7 and 8 of the decision) have also been amended or clarified.
The most significant change is the use of feed or other plants collected from the area for pigs, which will be permitted in the future if certain conditions are met. Cereals or other plants may be used to feed porcine animals if they have been stored out of reach of porcine animals for at least 30 days at a temperature above zero before use. The storage period for cereals used for bedding is 90 days.
Under the decision, the use of cereal and other plants collected from the zone’s area for pigs (e.g., feed, bedding and enrichment) was previously completely prohibited. However, this made it difficult to use the feed collected from the area for other animals, as it is difficult to keep the feed grain intended for different animals separate throughout the chain.
The other amendments to sections 7 and 8 are more specific including the hunting of animals, land cultivation, forestry work, movement in the terrain, repair and maintenance work on infrastructure systems and first aid.
Enquiries:
Decision on the infected zone
Terhi Laaksonen
Director of Department
Animal Health and Welfare Department
tel. +358 40 159 5812
terhi.laaksonen@ruokavirasto.fi
- New decision on the infected zone 7 August 2026 (pdf) (in Finnish)
Appendix 1 Map of the infected zone (pdf) (in Finnish) - EU Commission Implementing Decision
- Instructions for applying for ASF exemptions (ruokavirasto.fi) (in Finnish)
Exemptions and local disease control measures
Matti Nyberg
Head of Unit
Veterinary Care Regional Unit.
tel. +358 40 501 8464
matti.nyberg@ruokavirasto.fi
- ASF in Finland 2026
- African swine fever
- Frequently asked questions about African swine fever (in Finnish)