On 7 February 2004, the Commission published a Decision addressed to all EU Member States imposing restrictions on imports of poultry products from a number of Asian economies including Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. The restrictions have come about in the context of the avian influenza virus hitting several Asian regions in particular.
The 7 February legislative text, Commission Decision 2004/122/EC, suspends the importation of a number of products from several Asian economies, until 15 August 2004. It also supercedes during its course of application any earlier legislation imposing bans or restrictions on products or animals of the avian species.
As regards the Chinese mainland, importation into the EU of the following is entirely banned:
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fresh poultry meat,
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meat preparations and meat products consisting of, or containing poultry meat,
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raw pet food and unprocessed feed material containing any parts of poultry, and
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eggs for human consumption and non-treated game trophies from any birds.
As regards the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, as well as Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Pakistan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, importation into the EU of the following bird products and birds is entirely banned:
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unprocessed feathers and parts of feathers, and
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live birds other than poultry, including birds accompanying their owners (i.e., pet birds); "birds" in this context means animals of the avian species.
As regards the importation of processed feathers or parts of feathers from any of the aforementioned countries, consignments must be accompanied by a commercial document, which states that the processed feathers or parts thereof have been treated with a steam current or by some other method ensuring that no pathogens are transmitted. Excluded from this requirement are processed decorative feathers, processed feathers carried by travellers for their private use, or consignments of processed feathers sent to private individuals for non-industrial purposes.
For the sake of completeness, it is mentioned here that Thai-origin imports are banned if they comprise any of the following, from animals slaughtered after 1 January 2004: fresh meat of poultry, ratites, farmed and wild feathered game, meat preparations and products consisting of, or containing meat of these species; raw pet food and unprocessed feed material containing any parts of these species; and eggs for human consumption and non-treated game trophies from any birds. Derogations apply in certain cases on production of a certificate showing that the products concerned have undergone specific treatment. South Korean-origin imports are banned if they comprise any of the following: raw pet food and unprocessed feed material containing any parts of poultry, and eggs for human consumption and non-treated game trophies from any birds.
A Commission press release of 3 February has furthermore stated that the above-noted suspensions will be kept under "constant review", with a view to earlier amendment before 15 August 2004 if the situation so allows.
