EU extends ban on Romanian poultry

Health experts from the European Union have supported the European Commission's proposal to extend the import ban on Romanian live poultry, poultry meat and poultry products.

The import ban will now remain in place until 31 December 2006, although this date is subject to review.

The ban will now also include Brasov county as well as four nearby counties: Covasna, Harghita, Mures and Sibiu.

The proposal was drafted after several confirmed cases and further suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu in poultry flocks in Brasov over the weekend.

The ban on Romanian poultry already applies to 26 counties, following outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu which occurred after October 2005.

Editor WorldPoultry