BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The European Union banned all imports of poultry products and pet birds from Canada on Thursday after confirming a highly contagious outbreak of avian flu in British Columbia.
EU Health and Consumer Affairs Commissioner David Byrne recommended the suspension after he was informed by Canadian authorities that avian flu at a farm in central B.C. was "highly pathogenic." The ban covers all poultry products, including live chickens, turkeys, ostriches and wild game birds like pheasants, as well as all hatching eggs and eggs for consumption. Pet birds were also included.
"In view of the risk of animal disease introduction into the EU, immediate action is appropriate," the European Commission said in a statement.
The 15-country bloc imported some $17 million Cdn in Canadian hatching eggs last year, or one third of the EU import total. The EU also imported some 170,000 day-old chicks from Canada last year.
However the amount of poultry meat imported "is negligible" the Commission said - about 50 tonnes of duck meat in 2003.
The ban will be reviewed April 6, when the current measure lapses, the EU said, adding it could then limit the restrictions to British Columbia only.
The Canadian ban follows a similar ban on poultry imports from the United States, due to a similar bird flu outbreak in Texas.
The EU has also banned poultry imports from several Asian countries.
EU Health and Consumer Affairs Commissioner David Byrne recommended the suspension after he was informed by Canadian authorities that avian flu at a farm in central B.C. was "highly pathogenic." The ban covers all poultry products, including live chickens, turkeys, ostriches and wild game birds like pheasants, as well as all hatching eggs and eggs for consumption. Pet birds were also included.
"In view of the risk of animal disease introduction into the EU, immediate action is appropriate," the European Commission said in a statement.
The 15-country bloc imported some $17 million Cdn in Canadian hatching eggs last year, or one third of the EU import total. The EU also imported some 170,000 day-old chicks from Canada last year.
However the amount of poultry meat imported "is negligible" the Commission said - about 50 tonnes of duck meat in 2003.
The ban will be reviewed April 6, when the current measure lapses, the EU said, adding it could then limit the restrictions to British Columbia only.
The Canadian ban follows a similar ban on poultry imports from the United States, due to a similar bird flu outbreak in Texas.
The EU has also banned poultry imports from several Asian countries.
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