Europe bans bird imports

2005-10-25 20:52

Brussels - The European Union agreed on Tuesday to slap a ban on pet bird imports from the rest of the world, in its latest attempt to stop the spread of avian influenza to the continent.

The ban, which will be reviewed at the end of November, was triggered by the discovery of a lethal strain of bird flu in a parrot held in quarantine in Britain last week.

"These measures... aim to strengthen further the EU's defences against avian influenza," said the European Commission, after its proposals for a ban were approved by veterinary experts from the EU's 25 member states.

The new ban covers captive live birds other than poultry imported for commercial purposes, while separate measures were agreed for private imports of pet birds, the commission said.

The EU has bolstered its defences against bird flu after the H5N1 lethal strain of the virus, which has killed over 60 people in Asia since 2003, was found in Turkey and Romania.

The sense of urgency was heightened further when British authorities confirmed at the end of last week that a parrot which died while in quarantine was infected with the deadly Asian strain.

In the latest attempt to stop the disease spreading the European Commission on Tuesday confirmed an EU ban on live poultry imports from Croatia, after a second outbreak was detected there this week.

- AFP