On 1 July 2026, the European Parliament adopted a motion for a resolution objecting to the Commission delegated regulation (C(2026)00901) of 27 March 2026 that would amend animal movement rules for bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) and epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus. The Parliament instructs its President to notify the Commission that the regulation cannot enter into force, blocking the new rules that would have recategorised bluetongue from category C+D+E to D+E, acknowledging eradication is no longer realistic in large parts of the Union. The Parliament argues the regulation imposes disproportionate and impractical movement restrictions that ignore vaccine gaps and lack a PCR-based alternative, risking internal market distortions.
The motion, tabled by the European People's Party (EPP) group and co-signed by 46 MEPs including Jessika van Leeuwen, Sander Smit, and Carlo Fidanza, objects to the delegated regulation on the grounds that it would require vaccination against all relevant circulating serotypes, residence in seasonally vector-free areas, or use of vector-protected establishments with testing for animals from areas within 150 km where infection was reported in the previous two years. The Parliament highlights that vaccines are not available for all 24 serotypes, young calves cannot be vaccinated, and vector-protected establishments are scarce. The resolution calls for a revised act allowing movements based on negative PCR testing, especially where no vaccine exists; movements of animals under 90 days on negative PCR; PCR testing combined with preventive insecticide treatment; proportionate, science-based requirements; and transparency on serotype distribution.
The delegated regulation would have affected livestock farmers, breeders, traders, and transport operators across the EU, imposing new compliance costs and operational constraints. The Parliament's objection means the regulation cannot enter into force, and the Commission must either withdraw it or submit a revised version. The Council and the European Parliament will now await a new proposal from the Commission that addresses the Parliament's concerns, with the aim of balancing animal health requirements with practical movement needs and market functioning.