Change in Disease Status of France and Ireland With Regard to Foot-and-Mouth Disease

We are amending the regulations governing the importation of certain animals, meat, and other animal products by adding France and Ireland to the list of regions considered to be free of rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and to the list of regions that are subject to certain import restrictions on meat and animal products because of their proximity to or trading relationships with rinderpest- or FMD-affected regions. This final rule follows an interim rule that removed France, Ireland, and The Netherlands from those lists due to detection of FMD in those three regions. Based on the results of an evaluation of the current FMD situation in France and Ireland, we have determined that France and Ireland meet the standards of the Office International des Epizooties for being considered free of FMD. This rule relieves certain prohibitions and restrictions on the importation of ruminants and swine and fresh (chilled or frozen) meat and other products of ruminants and swine into the United States from France and Ireland. We are still evaluating the FMD situation in The Netherlands.