Press Release: Commission suspends EU poultry imports from Thailand after avian influenza outbreak

Following the confirmation of avian influenza (AI) outbreaks in Thailand, the European Commission adopted on 23 January 2004 the proposal from David Byrne, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, to suspend the import of all poultry meat and poultry products from Thailand into the EU with immediate effect. Mr Byrne said that all measures must be taken to protect the EU from the virus. Avian influenza is a highly contagious poultry disease that can cause severe economic damage to the poultry industry and can be transmitted to humans. The EU does not import live poultry and hatching eggs from Thailand and although the risk of importing the virus in meat or meat products is probably very low the Commission wants to make sure that any possible transmission is avoided.