Luxembourg, 08/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Standing Committee on the food chain and animal health approved, on Tuesday, a proposal aimed at a two-week extension to the embargo on the sale and transport of poultry meat from the Netherlands. The decision was taken in response to a very first outbreak, on Friday, of avian influenza in the Dutch province of Limburg (where nearly 40 million chickens are farmed), located near the Belgian and German borders. Until then, the epizootic had been concentrated in the Geldre ("Gelderse Vallei") region. European veterinarians met the day when the Netherlands briefed the Agriculture Council on how the epizootic was developing. Belgium and Germany expressed concern about the fact that this case had appeared in the region and took measures to prevent avian influenza from spreading onto their territory.