United Arab Emirates lifts poultry import restrictions on 13 Polish provinces

Market access across all provinces

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have lifted trade restrictions on poultry and egg products from 13 Polish administrative regions, allowing nationwide access to the Gulf market. The decision applies to the provinces of Mazowieckie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Zachodniopomorskie, Dolnośląskie, Lubuskie, Lubelskie, Wielkopolskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Opolskie, Pomorskie, Łódzkie, Podlaskie, and Śląskie. Polish farmers and processing plants across these areas are now authorized to resume shipments of poultry meat, poultry derivatives, and table eggs. The decision alters the customs status of Polish poultry goods, ending territorial export bans that previously isolated producers in these 13 regions from direct commercial trade with the UAE.

Veterinary negotiations and avian influenza status

The initial trade barriers were established following domestic outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly designated as HPAI. Standard international veterinary protocols require importing nations to introduce sanitary safeguards and halt food receipts from infected zones when contagious animal diseases emerge. Talks between Warsaw and Abu Dhabi to resolve these sanitary measures began in September 2024. The negotiation process involved the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the General Veterinary Inspectorate, and the Embassy of Poland in Abu Dhabi. Polish officials used the country's recovered status as a territory free from avian influenza as their primary argument to dismantle the import bans.

Minister of Agriculture Stefan Krajewski commented on the conclusion of the talks.

We are opening further markets for Polish food. Thanks to the consistent efforts of the ministry leadership, Polish producers and exporters gain access to further recipients and new opportunities to develop exports. The lifting of restrictions by the United Arab Emirates is a concrete result of these actions and good news for the entire poultry industry. We will continue to work intensively on opening further markets for Polish food.

Bilateral agri-food trade volumes

The Persian Gulf state represents an established destination for Polish agricultural goods in the Middle East. Official ministerial statistics show that Polish agri-food exports to the UAE reached 152 million euros over the course of 2025. That trade flow consisted predominantly of bread, pastry goods, cakes, biscuits, tobacco, sugar syrups, chocolate, cocoa products, poultry meat, edible poultry offal, and non-cocoa confectionery. Preliminary ministry data for the period between January and July 2026 indicates that agricultural sales to the UAE exceeded 66 million euros. The primary product categories during the first seven months of 2026 included tobacco, bakery products, waffles, wafers, sugar syrups, cocoa preparations, cheese, and sweets.

Regulatory compliance and inspection oversight

Export resumption required Polish institutions to satisfy regulatory criteria established by UAE authorities. The General Veterinary Inspectorate maintains responsibility for epizootic oversight in Poland and issues the required health certificates for outgoing cargo consignments. When regionalization agreements are absent, international disease occurrences frequently prompt third countries to suspend trade across large administrative areas or entire national territories. Lifting these specific regional bans establishes regular commercial channels for poultry suppliers seeking export opportunities in the UAE.