23.12.2005

The European Commission will adopt a decision to apply the EU import ban on Romanian poultry meat and poultry products to 26 provinces affected by avian influenza, following a positive opinion by the Member States at a meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) on 20 December. This extends the regionalised zone in Romania, which was endorsed by SCFCAH on 23 November 2005. Import restrictions for poultry meat and products will now apply to most of the area South and East of the Carpate Mountains, due to some recent outbreaks of avian influenza within Romania. EU restrictions on live birds from Romania will continue to apply to the whole country. The Standing Committee will review these measures in 2006, in line with the latest epidemiological situation in the country. (The provinces are: Arges, Bacau, Botosani, Braila, Bucuresti, Buzau, Calarasi, Constanta, Dimbovita, Doli, Galati, Giurgiu, Gorj, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov, Mehedinti, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Suceava, Teleorman, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea.)