The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) has backed two European Commission proposals on avian influenza. The Commission proposed the co-funding for national surveillance plans for each EU member state. Thus, Malta will be given €3,700 (around Lm1,592) to carry out surveillance plans.
The EU will contribute in total €1,964,800 towards the costs of national surveillance programmes for the period 1st February 2006 to 31st December 2006. The largest EU contribution will be given to Italy (€427,300-Lm183,955), followed by Germany (€268,000-Lm115,375) and Denmark (€168,500-Lm72,540).
The Commission explained that the surveillance programmes aim to ensure early detection of any outbreak of avian influenza in the EU. The programmes outline the number of samples that will be taken from both wild and domestic birds in each member state, and the type and number of tests that will be done. In total, around 60 000 tests in wild birds and 300 000 in domestic birds have been submitted for co-financing for this period.
The Commission previously committed €884 000 towards the cost of national surveillance programmes carried out from July 2005 to January 2006, and EU countries are due to submit detailed results of the programmes for that period to the Commission before the end of March 2006.
The other proposal is to suspend the import of untreated feathers from all Third countries. The Commission stated that untreated feather imports from several countries affected by avian influenza have already been suspended by the EU, comprising most of the main exporters. This proposal was taken in light of the rapid spread of avian influenza over the past months and the current high risk of the disease spreading further.
It added that this measure is also in line with a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which stated that feathers should be properly treated before being traded, to reduce the risk avian influenza being spread through feathers and feather parts. The restrictions on untreated feather imports will remain in place until 31 July 2006, during which time the EU will review its general legislation on the import of feathers, together with member states and industry.
In the meantime, the import of feathers treated with a steam current, or by some method which ensures that no pathogens remain in the product, can continue. These products, which are used in pillows, sleeping bags and similar items are considered to be safe.
On Tuesday, the German authorities informed the EU of cases of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in dead wild swans found on the island of Rugen in the Baltic Sea. Samples will be sent to the Community Reference Laboratory in Weybridge for further tests. The German authorities are applying the same precautionary measures as other member states in which the H5N1 virus has been confirmed in wild birds by Weybridge (Greece, Italy) or in which it is strongly suspected (Slovenia, Austria).
Earlier this week, the Maltese government announced three measures to prevent an outbreak of the bird flu in Malta. The measures were taken following the outbreak of of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in European countries last weekend.
On Tuesday, the German authorities informed the EU of cases of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in dead wild swans found on the island of Rugen in the Baltic Sea. Samples will be sent to the Community Reference Laboratory in Weybridge for further tests. The German authorities are applying the same precautionary measures as other member states in which the H5N1 virus has been confirmed in wild birds by Weybridge (Greece, Italy) or in which it is strongly suspected (Slovenia, Austria).
Earlier this week, the Maltese government announced three measures to prevent an outbreak of the bird flu in Malta. The measures were taken following the outbreak of of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in European countries last weekend.
See also:
Malta suspends bird hunting at sea
By MaltaMedia News - Feb 14, 2006, 09:14 CET
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