Following more cases of the birdflu in Texas, the European Commission has banned imports of poultry and eggs from the U.S., at least until March 23 when EU farm ministers will review the policy. Safety is the number one concern, not economics, says David Byrne the EU health commissioner.
The EU gets a substantial amount--nearly 25%--of its eggs from the U.S. (that's a 20 million euro business)
This story would be helpful for anyone looking at the US/EU economic relationship through export/import. We could do a follow up on how it's affected economy or local poultry/egg markets.
We could also get a piece of the story here. Without the EU demand, what will happen to local U.S. poultry/egg markets?
EU bans US poultry imports after Texas bird flu outbreak
EU Businesshttp://www.eubusiness.com/afp/040224113607.bhcq0rjf
EU bans US poultry imports after Texas bird flu outbreak
EU Business
http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/040224113607.bhcq0rjf
The European Commission announced Tuesday an immediate ban of EU imports of poultry and eggs from the United States after an outbreak of bird flu in Texas.
European Union health commissioner David Byrne said the import suspension, hitting trade worth over 20 million euros (25 million dollars) annually, will be reviewed by EU farm ministers next month.
He acknowledged the economic impact of the decision, but said: "Safety is what comes first... Trade considerations are important, but they are secondary to the protection of public health."
The EU executive was informed late Monday of the Texas outbreak -- the fourth US state to be hit with the virus following outbreaks in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The health commissioner, who briefed EU farm ministers about his decision Tuesday, said the Texas outbreak was more serious than the other US cases because the strain of virus concerned is more contagious.
Byrne said the ban will remain in place until March 23 when it will be reviewed by a meeting of EU farm ministers in Brussels. EU veterinary experts will meet next week to confirm the commission ban, as required by EU rules.
The EU imports primarily day-old chicks and eggs for consumption and live eggs for farmers from the United States, Byrne said.
EU imports of US poultry and eggs are substantial: some 13,000 tonnes of eggs are imported annually, representing 25 percent of such imports with a value of 20 million euros. The EU also imports some 800,000 chicks every year, with a value of 2.5 million euros, of which 450,000 are from the United States.
The Texas outbreak was detected among a flock of chickens on a farm in the county of Gonzales, which was quarantined, the Texas Animal Health Commission said in a statement.
But US authorities stressed the virus was not the same deadly strain that has swept across 10 Asian countries this winter, and does not appear to be linked to the other US outbreaks.
Bob Hillman, Texas state veterinarian, said that the flu strain, H5N2, "poses no health threat to humans and causes relatively low mortality in chickens."
"At present, there does not appear to be any connection between the cases on the east coast and the infected flock in Texas," Hillman said.
Posted by Sophia Tareen at February 24, 2004 08:06 AM