In response to the emergence of SAT1/III in the Middle East and European Union between 2025 and 2026, the following real-time RT-PCR assay (SAT1/III “BOT/1/77 like”) has been tested on few samples from this topotype. Data from EURL from FMD indicate that this assay is able to detect viruses from the SAT/III clade that is actually present in EU and Middle East. At this stage, this is a candidate assay that has not been extensively validated and further work is underway at the EURL and WRL for FMD.

EURL GUIDANCE : EURL “MMPR” GUIDANCE FOR SPECIFIC PHARMACOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN SPECIFIC ANIMAL MATRICES Version 3 of April 2026 repealing Version 2.1 of January 2025;    Published on 01/04/2026

 A new 'Question to EURCAW' (Q2E) has been published on “ Second stunning in broilers”.   To see more, take a look at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19346203 and at our Question to EURCAW's subpage! 

An outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease has been reported in Greece (Island of Lesbos) in domestic cattle since 16 March 2026. Identification of serotype is pending. This is the fifth case within the EU since 2025. For more information: WAHIS

An outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease has been reported in Cyprus in domestic cattle since 19 February 2026. 33 outbreaks have been detected up to now, related to serotype SAT1. This is the fourth case within the EU since 2025. For more information: WAHIS

The fifth Reflection Board meeting between representatives of RB organisations (from the EU Platform on Animal Welfare) and the EURCAW-Poultry-SFA was held remotely via Teams on January, 16th 2026 afternoon.   In total 16 participants, eight of them from the eight EU platform entities forming the RB, two from DG SANTE, and six from EURCAW-Poultry-SFA, were connected.  This meeting was the occasion to present the activities carried out and outcomes achieved by the Centre since the last meeting, the current Work Programme of the Centre, and to get their feedback and exchange, discuss and identify possible future collaborations and interests.    The presentations is available  here. The topics discussed can be found in the meeting report here. 

7 more EURCAW-Poultry-SFA factsheets have been translated into German!   Take a look here! 

EURL GUIDANCE : EURL Guidance Document on Stability Studies in the Field of the Analysis of Residues of Pharmacologically Active Substances Version 1.1 of January 2026;   Published on 03/02/2026

The 30th Annual Workshop will take place on Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 June 2026 in Fougères. The key topics are already listed here, and further information will be provided in March.

A new Good Practice Factsheet is online about on-farm hatching to improve broiler welfare from the start.   In a commercial hatchery, broiler chicks hatch within a period of 24-48 hours in a hatcher. During this time, usually no water or feed is available. Only once the hatching phase is over, all the chicks are removed from the hatcher, whereafter they go through a range of hatchery procedures before they are transported to the barns for rearing. An alternative to this, is hatching on-farm, i.e., within the barn. This way, the chicks have immediately access to light, water and feed after hatch, while hatchery procedures, transport and unloading are avoided.   Take a look here!   For more information see the broiler chicken good practice welfare webpage.