Poland is grappling with significant outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu) and Newcastle disease on its commercial poultry farms and in wild bird populations. As a countermeasure against the spread of avian influenza outbreaks, the country has proceeded with the culling of 11.5 million poultry birds to date (end of April 2025)
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, 7.5 million birds were culled on affected commercial farms, while an additional 4 million were depopulated as a precautionary measure on 65 “contact farms”. To date, Poland has recorded in 2025 a total of 82 avian influenza outbreaks on commercial farms and 55 cases in wildlife, compared with a total of 50 throughout the whole of 2024, and the European Commission has been considering imposing emergency measures on the country.
The Ministry of Agriculture stated in a press release that the European Commission had agreed to the implementation of 13 measures proposed by Poland, which include enlarging the area considered at risk around an outbreak site, reducing poultry house stocking density, and additional disinfection steps. The measures will be applied in the three regions that have recorded the highest number of outbreaks.
In addition to avian influenza, the country has also reported 23 Newcastle disease outbreaks on commercial poultry farms. This other viral disease is often fatal and attacks the respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems of birds. Of the Newcastle disease cases, 22 occurred on broiler farms and one on a turkey farm. The outbreaks have devastated the affected poultry farms.
In response to this critical situation and as part of a broader effort to protect the country’s poultry sector — the fastest-growing in the EU over the past five years — the Minister of Agriculture, Czesław Siekierski, signed new regulations in April requiring large farms and hatcheries to vaccinate their chickens and turkeys.
In April, the European Commission approved the 13-point immediate action plan proposed by Poland to control the avian influenza virus. This plan serves as an alternative to the stricter measures previously proposed by the EU’s executive body. The European Commission acknowledged Poland’s plan following talks described as “constructive” by EC spokesperson Eva Hrncirova.
The EC indicated that, for the time being, it sees no need to impose additional EU-wide measures given the actions proposed by Poland. The talks between the EC and Warsaw addressed the measures proposed for the voivodeships of Mazowieckie (east-central) and Wielkopolskie (west), the most severely affected by the outbreak. Poland had raised the alarm over a surge in avian influenza cases in February 2025. Following EC approval, Warsaw will present the measures to the rest of the EU before implementing them at national level.
Exactly four years ago, in April 2021, Poland recorded more than 261 avian influenza outbreaks with over 6 million birds culled.
Further reading:
-. Poland’s avian flu outbreak sparks debate and worries
-. Avicultura en Polonia
-. Avian Influenza on NeXusAvicultura