News Release
David Byrne
No. 29/04
February 24, 2004
EU COMMISSION
SUSPENDS POULTRY IMPORTS FROM THE US FOLLOWING AVIAN INFLUENZA OUTBREAK IN TEXAS
Following the confirmation of a highly pathogenic
avian influenza (AI) outbreak in Texas, the European Commission adopted the
proposal [Commission Decision 2004/187/EC]
from EU
Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner
David Byrne to suspend with immediate effect the import of live poultry, eggs
and pet birds into the European Union from the United States until March 23.
Avian influenza is a highly contagious poultry disease that can cause severe
economic damage to the poultry industry and can, in exceptional cases, be transmitted
to humans. In view of the risk of animal disease introduction into the EU, the
Commission decided that it is appropriate to suspend immediately the imports of
live poultry, ratites, farmed and wild feathered game, hatching eggs and eggs
for human consumption and birds other than poultry (pet birds) from all of the
United States.
Commenting on the decision, David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer
Protection said: "This immediate ban is designed to protect the high health
status of the European poultry flocks. I have put it the ban in place until 23
March but will keep it under review."
Between now and March 23, US authorities should provide the EU with detailed
information on the situation and the measures taken to bring the disease under
control. In the light of the information received in the next days, further appropriate
proportionate measures could be proposed. The Commission decision and the disease
situation in the US will be reviewed at the meeting of the
Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health scheduled for 2-3 March.
The EU is a major importer of eggs and day-old chicks from the United States.
In 2003, approximately 9 million eggs for a value of € 20 million have been imported.
This represents about 25% of the total imports of eggs in the EU. In the same
year, approximately 450,000 day-old chicks for a value of € 2.5 million (about
50% of the total imports in the EU) have been imported from the US. The EU does
not import poultry meat from the US because the current treatment of poultry carcasses
in the US is not accepted by the EU.
US authorities confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI)
in a poultry flock in the State of Texas (Gonzales County) yesterday. The detected
AI virus strain is different from the strain currently causing the epidemic in
Asia and probably poses inferior public health risk to the Asian one.
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Press Contacts:
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Anthony Gooch
202-862-9523
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Maeve O'Beirne
202-862-9549
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