October 26, 2005

EU bans live bird imports

EU vets have agreed to a one-month blanket ban on live bird imports into the region, following the recent case of a quarantined South American parrot found infected with bird flu in Britain. 

The EU said the ban covered captive live birds but not poultry imported for commercial purposes.

Bird imports from countries already affected by the disease have been banned in the EU, according to the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.