Post by Shadow on Oct 25, 2005 8:42:45 GMT -5
Breitbart
The European Union appear set to slap a global ban on imports of pet birds into Europe, amid rising alarm over the growing avian influenza threat from Asia.
EU veterinary experts in Brussels are studying proposals for an initial one-month ban on imports of pet birds such as parrots and other exotic species from the rest of the world.
Their meeting in Brussels came as EU farm ministers also mulled the latest worrying developments, including a new outbreak in China and a fourth death in Indonesia.
"We want to ensure that all member states are satisfactorily prepared," EU health commissioner Markos Kyprianou told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg on Tuesday.
The 25-nation EU has bolstered its defences against bird flu after the H5N1 lethal strain of the virus, which has killed over 60 people in Asia, was found in Turkey and Romania.
The sense of urgency was heightened further when British authorities confirmed at the end of last week that a parrot which died while in quarantine was infected with the deadly Asian strain.
The European Union appear set to slap a global ban on imports of pet birds into Europe, amid rising alarm over the growing avian influenza threat from Asia.
EU veterinary experts in Brussels are studying proposals for an initial one-month ban on imports of pet birds such as parrots and other exotic species from the rest of the world.
Their meeting in Brussels came as EU farm ministers also mulled the latest worrying developments, including a new outbreak in China and a fourth death in Indonesia.
"We want to ensure that all member states are satisfactorily prepared," EU health commissioner Markos Kyprianou told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg on Tuesday.
The 25-nation EU has bolstered its defences against bird flu after the H5N1 lethal strain of the virus, which has killed over 60 people in Asia, was found in Turkey and Romania.
The sense of urgency was heightened further when British authorities confirmed at the end of last week that a parrot which died while in quarantine was infected with the deadly Asian strain.