The European Union has extended foot-and-mouth disease restrictions on Cyprus until at least June 15, 2026, in a new decision that confirms the strict measures imposed since the outbreak began and deepens the crisis facing the island’s livestock sector.
Under the new decision, full freedom of trade in animals without restrictions can only be restored three months after the last vaccinated animal has been slaughtered or culled.
Veterinary Services have also received a clear response from the European Commission confirming that even if Cyprus eliminates the virus entirely, the export of vaccinated animals to other EU member states remains prohibited.
Vaccinated animals will not be permitted to leave the island, severely limiting prospects for live animal trade for an extended period.
The situation is further complicated by conditions in the occupied areas of the island, with the vaccination programme expected to run for several years.
A significant grey area also remains over derivative products. The current regulation does not clarify whether the ban extends to the dispatch of products such as fresh meat from animals originating in areas where the measures apply.
Veterinary Services have put the question to the European Commission and are awaiting a response that will determine whether Cyprus can export meat or whether the ban will be total. The question is critical for the survival of processing units and abattoirs.
While live animal exports remain frozen across the island, halloumi continues to be exported normally, as its heat treatment neutralises the virus.
European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Oliver Varhelyi, in the executive decision published on Tuesday, said the current epidemiological situation required an urgent review of protection, surveillance and restricted zones, with adjustments both in scope and duration where necessary, in order to prevent further spread of the disease to other member states or third countries and to avoid unjustified trade barriers.
105 infected units
The epidemiological picture across Nicosia and Larnaca districts records 105 infected units: 89 sheep and goat farms, 13 cattle units and three pig farms. Around 38,900 sheep and goats, 2,247 cattle and 16,500 pigs have already been culled.
Despite the severity of the situation, Veterinary Services expressed cautious optimism, saying the virus appears to be declining and the vaccination programme has begun to show results.
With farmers threatening fresh mobilisations, the state has signalled support through payments for milk and animal feed, which have already begun. Compensation rates for culled animals are being finalised.
A special state aid scheme for sector reconstruction is running under Stavros Malas. Authorities also said there is no current issue with the adequacy of sheep and goat milk supply.
Rare breeds at risk
Veterinary Services are expected to reach a decision this week on how to handle infected units containing rare native breeds, Phileleftheros reported on Tuesday.
At the centre of the discussion are approximately 350 fat-tailed sheep and 33 red cattle on infected farms in the Larnaca area. Veterinary Services spokesperson Sotiria Georgiados said the decision on any deviation from the standard full-culling protocol is extremely complex.
Authorities are examining all possible scenarios, including culling only the positive animals while attempting to preserve healthy genetic material within the units, and full culling with complete elimination of the infected units.
“The primary priority is containing the spread of the disease,” Georgiados said, adding that the final decision would be based on legislation, documentation of purebred status and the proportion of these animals within the total population.
Farm owner Kostas Mouskos told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) that the rare fat-tailed sheep breed numbers only 1,100 animals in total, with 500 of them on his farm in the second livestock zone of Dromolaxia — the largest Cypriot sheep unit in the area.
After a positive case was detected on his farm, he said he had approached the President of the Republic, Veterinary Services and the Agriculture Ministry requesting an exemption from culling, citing both the rarity of the breed and its importance to Cyprus’s agricultural heritage.
Mouskos said his unit participates in a European programme for the conservation of rare agricultural breeds and is monitored scientifically in cooperation with the Cyprus University of Technology (TEPAK), with the aim of genetic improvement and enhancing milk production of the Cypriot sheep.
“It is the only unit with genetically verified Cypriot dairy sheep and it is not identical to any other breed in the world. If culling goes ahead, the breed is essentially destroyed,” he said.