The official reason is an outbreak of disease
Outbreaks of small ruminant plague are cited as the official basis for the ban. The documents mention an outbreak of this disease in Albania in 2025, although there is no evidence linking this case to Romanian vinegar shipments. Moreover, Romania’s National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA) stated that the country did not export sheep to Albania during that period. Nevertheless, following confirmation of an outbreak in Mureș on June 8, Brussels took drastic measures: until the end of 2026, any movement of sheep and goats from Romania—both within the EU and to third countries—is prohibited.
For Romanian sheep farmers, this decision will be a disaster, writes Agrointel.
Previously, thanks to record demand for live animals, Romanian sheep farmers “found new markets, particularly in Algeria.” A contract was signed with that country to supply over a million head of live sheep and carcasses. Algerian partners were even willing to pay for air transport to ensure the deal went through. Now, however, all agreements are in jeopardy, and the market, which had only just begun to recover, is collapsing once again.
Conflict of Commercial Interests
Sources at Agrointeligența – Agrointel.ro report that the European Commission’s decision was initiated by Spanish official Francisco Reviriego Gordejó, who heads the animal health department at DG SANTE.
According to Agrointeligența, the block is not driven by private companies but by governments concerned about the success of Romanian sheep farmers in the global market. Spain, the official’s home country, is actively competing with Romania for contracts to supply live livestock. With the Romanian offer off the table, Spanish farmers could gain access to multimillion-euro contracts previously signed with Algeria and Middle Eastern countries.
Imbalance in the EU’s Approach
Farmers point out the disproportionate nature of the decision: dozens of disease outbreaks have been recorded in Greece and Bulgaria, yet their exports have not been completely blocked. In Romania’s case, the ban was imposed despite the fact that there have been no new outbreaks for over a year.
Thus, the European Commission’s decision not only jeopardizes multimillion-euro contracts but also demonstrates just how politicized the issue of agricultural exports can be in the EU, according to the aforementioned Romanian publication.
