20 March 2026
Who does this notice affect?
Importers and brokers who have imported or have a plan to import goods containing or derived from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)-susceptible species (including cattle, sheep, pigs, deer, and camelids (alpacas, llamas and camel)) to Australia from Greece since 15 February 2026.
What has changed?
On 17 March 2026, Greece notified the World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH) of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). The department has undertaken a risk assessment and determined that Greece should no longer be considered free from FMD from 15 February 2026.
To manage the biosecurity risk to Australia, Greece has been removed from the FMD-free country list and the List of countries for natural casings derived from bovine, caprine, ovine or porcine animals.
Impacted goods include:
- Dairy* including cheese** that is sourced, manufactured or exported from Greece
- Personal dairy and meat food items imported as passenger personal effects or through the mail into Australia from Greece
- Casings derived from ovine or caprine animals that are sourced, manufactured or exported from Greece
- Reproductive material derived from cattle, sheep, goats, zoo bovids, giraffe or elephants sourced or exported from Greece
- Veterinary therapeutics containing ingredients derived from bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine, cervine or camelid animals domiciled in Greece
- Pet food and stock feed containing or derived from bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine, cervine or camelid materials sourced from animals domiciled in Greece
- Laboratory goods containing material derived from FMD-susceptible species (including but not limited to test kits, animal fluids and tissues, culture media, environmental samples and other laboratory materials) sourced from Greece
*Note: solid chocolate (including imitation chocolate), ripened cheese (with a permit) and goods containing less than 10% dairy for human consumption can continue to be imported into Australia from the island of Greece.
**Note: cheese will only be permitted to be imported with a valid import permit for cheese from countries which are not FMD-free. Permits will only be issued if the cheese is ripened by a method approved by the department, which includes a minimum ripening period of 30-days (pasteurised) or 120-days (unpasteurised) and a requirement to obtain a pH of 5.2 or below before and after ripening. Importers can review these conditions and apply for a permit via the departments Biosecurity Import Conditions and Food Safety Requirements (BICON).
Future biosecurity arrangements
The department will contact individual import permit holders shortly to advise them on ongoing arrangements for their import permits.
For goods that are currently in transit to Australia
Any goods in transit will be held and assessed on a case-by-case basis. Generally, product manufactured (or collected) prior to the 15 February 2026 may be released from biosecurity control if suitable evidence can be supplied to biosecurity officers.
Product manufactured (or collected) after 15 February 2026 may not be permitted entry into Australia and may be directed for re-export or destruction. Importers and brokers that are unsure of the status of their goods should contact imports@aff.gov.au for advice before arranging for the export of any product to Australia.
Further information
Please contact the department by phone 1800 900 090 or email to imports@aff.gov.au if you have any questions.