Thai poultry allowed back into EU after bird flu eradication
Play
Brussels - The European Union said Tuesday it is poised to lift import restrictions on poultry meat from Thailand, eight years after they were imposed due to an outbreak of deadly avian influenza.
The country has not registered any new bird flu cases since 2007, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
"In response to the original protection measures, Thailand implemented a rigorous policy to stamp out the pathogen ... and as a result successfully eradicated ... H5N1 from its territory," the EU's executive, the European Commission, said in a statement.
"Thailand can provide sufficient guarantees to comply with the EU import requirements for poultry meat," it added. The import restrictions are due to be lifted on July 1.
The bird flu virus had spread to 63 countries at the 2006 peak of its most recent global outbreak. The disease has killed more than 350 people since 2003, according to the WHO.
This year, cases have been recorded in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Indonesia and Vietnam.
"In response to the original protection measures, Thailand implemented a rigorous policy to stamp out the pathogen ... and as a result successfully eradicated ... H5N1 from its territory," the EU's executive, the European Commission, said in a statement.
"Thailand can provide sufficient guarantees to comply with the EU import requirements for poultry meat," it added. The import restrictions are due to be lifted on July 1.
The bird flu virus had spread to 63 countries at the 2006 peak of its most recent global outbreak. The disease has killed more than 350 people since 2003, according to the WHO.
This year, cases have been recorded in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Indonesia and Vietnam.
