EU replaces import ban on live birds with strict rules

(BRUSSELS) - The European Union has decided to lift its ban on live birds entering the bloc and laid down strict conditions for their import, the European Commission said Thursday.

EU food chain and veterinary experts decided to replace the ban with strict new guidelines that go beyond the rules that were in place before the embargo was imposed in October 2005 amid a bird flu scare.

Under the new rules, all birds caught in the wild, such as falcons or parakeets, will remain barred from entering the EU.

"Given the high risk of infection from wild birds, only birds bred in captivity and in approved breeding establishments will be allowed to enter the EU," the commission said in a statement.

All birds that are imported will have to have a leg-ring or microchip and may not be vaccinated while the absence of avian influenza and Newcastle disease in the country of origin will have to be proved.

The number of exporting countries will also be kept to those approved to export live poultry to the EU: Australia, certain states in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Israel, New Zealand and the United States.

Imported birds will also be subject to a quarantine of at least 30 days.

"Such measures are crucial to maintaining the highest possible level of animal health protection in the EU," said Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou.

"The devastation that the H5N1 avian influenza virus has caused globally serves as a reminder that we can take no chances in this area," he added.