Brussels, 05/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - The EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health decided, on 4 May, to prolong certain measures aimed at preventing and controlling the spread of avian influenza in the EU until the end of the year.
Confinement: Despite the fact that the spread of the highly pathogenic avian flu virus (H5N1) has slowed down in recent weeks, the EU remains vigilant. Veterinary experts of EU Member States supported a European Commission proposal aimed at prolonging until 31 December 2006 certain preventive measures against further outbreaks of the virus, including confinement of birds in high-risk zones (such as migratory routes of wild birds).
Furthermore, the French Minister for Agriculture announced in a press release on 5 May that the confinement of fowl raised in the open remained in force until 31 May in France but that these measures may possibly be reviewed after the Agence française de sécurité sanitarie des aliments (AFSSA) has examined the country's health situation. The minister explained that the end of the migratory period naturally makes it necessary to carry out a further risk assessment and for precautionary measures against avian flu to be taken in consequence. AFSSA will give its opinion mid-May. For the time being, France is keeping to a ministerial decree that fixes the end of confinement for 31 May for 17% of the 900 million free range poultry raised on farms (with exemptions on a case by case basis after inspection by veterinary services).
Germany decided on 4 May to extend confinement measures for most poultry flocks in the country. The new provision extending that in force stipulates that, from 15 May, poultry should remain in cages in high-intensive poultry farming regions, as well as in areas where wild birds have been found dead carrying the H5N1 virus, and in places where the birds are accustomed to gather. In other regions, free range poultry farming will remain possible under certain conditions and with administrative authorisation.
Third countries: The Standing Committee has decided to extend until 31 July 2006 the embargo on imports of captive birds for commercial purposes from third countries. The ban does not concern poultry. The EU has also agreed that the restrictions on the movement of birds accompanying their owners should also continue until 31 July 2006. Such measures, which had been prolonged a few months ago, had been adopted for the first time at the end of the month of October 2005 after a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza had been discovered in a bird in quarantine in the United Kingdom.
Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia: EU experts have agreed to prolong the embargo on imports of poultry and poultry products from Bulgaria and Romania till the end of the year, with certain amendments to the restrictions. Although affected by avian influenza, the situation in these two countries has improved in the past few weeks. The bans on poultry meat and meat products will remain regionalised depending on the areas where cases of bird flu have been discovered, but regionalisation will also apply to live fowl and to eggs. For Croatia, the regionalised ban on live birds, poultry and poultry products will be extended to cover the region of Zagreb following confirmation in April of a new case of H5N1 in a wild swan there.
The EU has also extended till the end of the year the decision that Switzerland should apply the same prevention and control measures against avian flu as the EU countries.
Vaccination: Upon EU experts' agreement, Austria has been added to the list of EU countries authorised to begin a vaccination programme for zoo birds. France has received the Standing Committee's go-ahead for extending its preventive vaccination programme to duck and geese in farms in high-risk wetland areas in the Landes, Loire-Atlantique and Vendée. The vaccination programme had been launched in February this year (EUROPE 9137).