Brussels, 24/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - The Croatian authorities informed the European Commission on 21 October that a group H5 avian virus has been isolated in wild swans found dead in the commune of Zdenci. The owner of a fish farm found fifteen swans dead after the arrival of a group of around 1500 migratory swans. Samples of the virus have been sent for additional analysis at the European reference laboratory in Weybridge in the UK. The Croatian authorities took the immediate decision to ban the export of living poultry and poultry-based products to the EU. The Commission was due on Monday to adopt a decision banning the import of such products from Croatia.
Elsewhere, the UK authorities informed the Commission of the discovery of a group H5 virus in a parrot imported from Surinam which was being held in quarantine. The infected animal and all the other birds being held in the quarantine area were destroyed. The UK will therefore continue to benefit from the status of being free from avian flu.
These two events this weekend rekindled the debate on the usefulness of putting in place a European embargo on the import of wild birds, which has been demanded in particular by the UK. The Commission will take a decision on such a ban for domestic birds in the light of the discussions held by the agriculture ministers in Luxembourg on Monday and the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee.