The European Union has agreed to lift a ban on bird imports from Japan and South Korea after the two countries submitted their final reports on the avian influenza situation to the World Organisation for Animal Health, stating their territories free of the disease, and the measures taken to control it.
As the EU did not import poultry or poultry meat from these two countries, the lifting of the ban only applies to pet birds. For eight other Asian countries - Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, China, Vietnam, Pakistan and Malaysia - the suspension of the imports of all poultry products and pet birds has been extended until September 30, 2005. Avian influenza in those countries is either still present or they cannot now be certified as disease-free.
The EU also imposed temporary bans on the USA and Canada over bird flu outbreaks which have since been removed.
