EU ban on wild bird imports won’t stop bird flu
The European Commission said that it was lifting its ban on live poultry imports, but would keep the ban in place for all birds caught in the wild, such as falcons or parakeets.
According to the United Nations, the EC decision to maintain a ban on wild bird imports will not help prevent the spread of bird flu. The UN’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) called the move “disappointing”, doubting that the step would have any impact in preventing the spread of infectious diseases such as bird flu. A recent analysis by the conservation alliance Birdlife International showed that just 0.05% of the world’s bird species appear to be significantly threatened by international trade.
CITES said the international wild bird trade is already subject to stringent controls, and has declined from an estimated 7.5 million birds a year in 1975, when CITES was formed, to around 1.5 million today. In contrast, the global trade in live domestic poultry involves some 750 million birds a year and the EU’s move could provide a spur to the black market and unregulated trade.
CITES said the international wild bird trade is already subject to stringent controls, and has declined from an estimated 7.5 million birds a year in 1975, when CITES was formed, to around 1.5 million today. In contrast, the global trade in live domestic poultry involves some 750 million birds a year and the EU’s move could provide a spur to the black market and unregulated trade.
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