Brussels, 23/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission decided on Friday to suspend with immediate effect imports of poultry of Thai provenance, where cases of avian influenza have been confirmed (yesterday's EUROPE, p.11). The embargo concerns chicken meat and other poultry, chicken and poultry-based preparations, products for animals and eggs for human consumption. The ban will not apply to chickens slaughtered before 1 January 20004 and poultry meat heated to over 70 degrees, as these products present no risks. The EU has not taken measures to protect itself against avian influenza, which has also been reported in Vietnam, South Korea and Japan, because it does not import poultry from these countries.
The EU will take stock of the situation during the meeting on 2 and 3 February of the standing committee on the food chain and animal health. European imports of Thai poultry rose to 120,000 tonnes in 2002, and 128,000 tonnes between January and October 2003.