Brussels, 10/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - Human epidemiological medical experts of the 25 EU Member States will be meeting in Luxembourg on 12 January to look at the bird flu situation in Turkey. AFP quotes a European Commission source as saying that the experts will discuss coordination measures to be taken by the Member States, examine national plans and the EU plan and assess channels of communication.
On 10 January, as expected, the European Commission adopted a decision banning the import of untreated feathers from six countries bordering on eastern Turkey, namely Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Syria, Iran and Iraq. The import of meat and all other poultry products from these countries was banned in October 2005. The only product still allowed into the EU, before the Commission's 10 January decision, was feathers. A ban on imports of feathers, live birds and poultry products from Turkey is already in place (see EUROPE 9105).