EU bans imports of feathers, pet birds from N. Korea over bird flu

Asian Economic News, April 18, 2005

BRUSSELS, April 14 Kyodo

The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, announced Thursday it is banning the import of feathers and pet birds effective immediately in the wake of a bird flu outbreak in the Asian country.

''An outbreak of avian influenza (AI) in North Korea has been confirmed at the end of March. The Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health on a Commission proposal to add North Korea to the list of eight Asian countries not allowed to export birds, their meat or products because of AI,'' the commission said.

As North Korea is authorized to export only feathers and pet birds to the EU, the ban only applies to these products.

Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, China, Vietnam, Pakistan and Malaysia) are banned from exporting poultry products and pet birds to the EU until Sept. 30, 2005.