African swine fever will be discussed next week by European farm ministers during their informal meeting in Austria, the Belgian authorities stated on Monday 17 September (see EUROPE 12096).
Transport is believed to be the cause of infection of wild boar with African swine fever to the south of the province of Luxembourg, Wallonia’s minister for agriculture, René Collin, stressed after a meeting with European authorities alongside the federal minister, Denis Ducarme.
France and Germany, in particular, are taking measures to prevent the virus from spreading onto their territory, given that cases of African swine fever have already occurred in nearly ten countries of the EU.
“All member states must be made aware of the dangers of transport, must take action with customs checks, and heighten carrier awareness”, Collin commented. He underlined that the virus can remain present for several months in food such as dried sausage, and even for two years in frozen meat.
Belgium has decreed a ban on all movement in the 63,000 hectare zone concerned by the African swine fever, further to the discovery of five wild boar carrying the virus. Once the restricted areas have been defined, wild boar in those areas will be culled. Such measures are in addition to measures already taken aimed at banning hunting and feeding in that area. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)