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 Last update:  February 28, 2008

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 Avian Influenza

   Links | Press Releases | Reports

Avian Influenza (AI) or “bird flu” is a highly contagious viral disease to which all types of birds are susceptible.  Outbreaks occur most often in domestic fowl, with up to 100% mortality.  The highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of AI is currently causing concern in a number of EU member states.  All cases of AI must be reported by the member states to the European Commission and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

The European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG Sanco) provides a weekly update on the number of outbreaks and a daily updated map showing AI outbreaks in the EU.  Please see: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/food/animal/diseases/adns/index_en.htm

The extensive media coverage given to the H5N1 strain of bird flu in several member states, mainly in wild birds, has considerably hit consumption of poultry meat in the EU.  In some member states, consumption has dropped by more than 50% resulting in significant build-up in stocks of poultry meat (currently estimated at 300,000 MT).  The situation is aggravated by the ban imposed by a number of third countries on imports of poultry meat from certain member states or from the entire EU.   The regulations governing the eggs and poultry market allow the EU to co-finance compensation measures only in cases where there is a case of avian flu on a farm or where farmers are prevented from moving their poultry because of restrictions imposed on veterinary orders. Until now, there was no possibility to provide EU aid to take account of market problems linked to a fall in sales caused by a loss of consumer confidence.  On April 25, 2006, EU agriculture ministers approved Regulation 679/2006/EC, allowing the EU budget to share the cost of market support measures in the eggs and poultry sector.  This measure, introduced because of the negative impact of the avian flu crisis, allows the co-financing of 50 percent of the cost of market support measures linked to a drop in consumption and prices of eggs and poultry.  Commission Regulation 1010/2006 (amended by Commission Regulation 1256/2006, Commission Regulation 1629/2006 and Commission Regulation 435/2007) provides for exceptional market support measures in the eggs and poultry sector in certain member states.  For more information see GAIN report E36106 "EU market support measures in the poultry sector".

For more information see:
 
bullet European Commission: DG Health & Consumer Protection Animal Health and Welfare
bullet European Commission DG Health & Consumer Protection Summary Webpage on Avian Influenza
bullet 10 key facts about Avian Influenza

Links

bullet World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
bullet U.S. Department of State's Tips for Traveling Abroad Avian Flu Fact Sheet
bullet U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
bullet World Health Organization (WHO)
bullet Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
bullet EU Influenza Research (European Commission DG Research)
bullet Avian Influenza Press Pack (European Commission)
bullet Avian Influenza (U.S. Mission to the EU)

Press Releases

bullet Council backs Commission proposal for EU financial aid for eggs and poultry sector (European Commission press release April 25, 2006)
bullet MEP's throw a lifeline to poultry farmers (European Parliament - April 6, 2006)
bullet AI H5 suspected in a dead wild swan in UK: UK authorities applying precautionary measures (European Commission press release April 5, 2006)
bullet AI: several preventive and control measures agreed by Standing Committee (European Commission press release April 5, 2006)
bullet Economic impact of bird flu on farm sector under spotlight at CoR debate (European Commission press release April 3, 2006)
bullet Avian Flu: Commission proposes to allow EU financial aid for eggs and poultry sector (Press Release European Commission Mar. 29, 2006)
bullet EU funded research on pandemic and Avian Influenza (Press Release European Commission DG Research Feb. 7, 2006)
bullet U.S. launches international partnership to focus on potential bird flu pandemic (Press Release U.S. Dept. of State Sept. 22, 2005)
bullet Joint EU Presidency-European Commission statement on U.S. initiative on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (Press Release European Commission Sept. 30, 2005)

 

 

Reports

bullet Poland | EU Lifts AI-based Trade Restrictions (PL8004)
bullet United Kingdom | H5N1 confirmed again in wild birds in the UK (UK8001)
bullet Romania | Avian Influenza (AI) – Outbreak eradication (GAIN report RO8001)
bullet Germany | AI update: Two more cases on small non-commercial poultry operations (GAIN report GM7060)
bullet Poland | Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Update and Market Implications (GAIN report PL7062)
bullet Germany | AI update: New case on non-commercial poultry operation (GAIN report GM7059 - December, 2007)
bullet Germany | AI update (GAIN report GM7055)
bullet Poland | Avian Influenza H5N1 Outbreak Widens (GAIN report PL7059)
bullet Poland | New Avian Influenza H5N1 Outbreak in Poland (GAIN report PL7058)
bullet United Kingdom | UK confirms highly pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 in free range turkey flock (GAIN report UK7035)
bullet Avian Flu confirmed in Three Dead Wild Swans in Eastern France (GAIN Report FR7021) 
bullet Germany | AI Re-appears in Wild Birds (GAIN Report GM7025)
bullet EC market support measures in the poultry sector (GAIN Report E36117 - Sept. 1, 2006)
bullet EC market support measures in the poultry sector (GAIN Report E36106 - July 17, 2006)
bullet "Avian Influenza: EU financial aid within reach for poultry sector (GAIN Report E36070 - May 2, 2006)
bullet Avian Influenza: Impact on EU Poultry Trade and Prices (GAIN Report E36055 - April 7, 2006)
bullet "Avian Influenza: Impact of Outbreaks on European Poultry and Meat Markets"  (GAIN report E36038 - Mar. 2006)
bullet "Avian Influenza: EU continues preparedness work" (GAIN report E35190 - Sept. 2005)
 
bullet Avian Influenza Update Report for Poland (GAIN Report PL7022 - May 8, 2007)
bullet Second Case of Avian Influenza Confirmed in Hungary (GAIN Report HU7003 -February 1, 2007)
bullet Hungary Announces Suspected Case of Avian Influenza in Commercial Poultry (GAIN Report HU7002 - January 30, 2007)
bullet Financial Compensation for Producers due to Avian Influenza Outbreak (GAIN Report PL6063 - September 21,2006)

Archive of GAIN Reports: under "Commodities" select "Poultry & Products"

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