Brussels, 21/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 22 February the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health continued its plans, begun the previous evening, for a preventive vaccination against avian flu, detected in the Netherlands and France. The French plan foresees the vaccination of ducks and geese in the departments of Landes, Loire-Atlantique and Vendée. The Dutch plan entails vaccinating hobby poultry and free-range laying hens throughout the whole country. Member States are divided on this question, as illustrated at the Council discussion on 20 February (EUROPE 9135). The Commission is expected to approve the vaccination plans, after consultation with veterinary experts from the EU, voting by qualified majority. The preventive vaccination plan should include monitoring that can distinguish between healthy and sick birds. The highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu virus has been detected in wild birds in seven Member States of the EU: Greece, Italy, Germany, Austria, France, Slovenia and Hungary. Analyses are currently being conducted to establish whether the H5N1 virus is present in dead swans in Slovakia.