Slaughterhouse and dairy processing plant owners contest the collective vaccination of sheep due to export restrictions. They warn that vaccination would severely affect the sector, which depends on the EU market.

Slaughterhouse owners and dairy processing factories in Romania firmly oppose the collective vaccination of sheep, in the context of outbreaks of peste des petits ruminants that have led to a ban on exports. They argue that milk from vaccinated animals will not be usable in the European Union, which would require imports to ensure the raw material supply. Vaccination would impose restrictions of up to three years on the export of unprocessed meat, severely affecting Romanian slaughterhouses that depend on the European market.

Currently, the export of sheep is banned due to outbreaks of peste, and the European Commission has extended the ban until 2026. Industry representatives are calling for a fair strategy that would allow vaccination only on affected farms, to avoid negative impacts on the entire sector. They warn that mass vaccination would lead to significant economic losses, already estimating losses of 128 million euros. Authorities have promised to find solutions to protect the sector, but discussions must continue at the European level.