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(2004/C 84 E/0471)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0458/04

by Brian Simpson (PSE) and Catherine Stihler (PSE) to the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Subject:   Avian flu and the ban on poultry from Thailand

Following the outbreak of avian flu in Asia the EU has banned all fresh poultry imports from Thailand. The ban has now been extended to 15 August 2004. The ban does not extend to poultry meats treated to a very high temperature (70 °C). What reassurance can the Commission offer on reducing the risks of infection from cooked Thai poultry available in ‘ready meals’?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(31 March 2004)

According to international standards provided by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and supported by risk analysis studies conducted in collaboration with the Avian Influenza Community Reference Laboratory these viruses are inactivated at temperatures of at least 60 °C applied for 30 minutes. Commission Decision 97/222/EC (1) for the importation of meat products mitigates the risk of introduction of the different notifiable animal diseases via imports of fresh meat by recognised techniques for disease agent inactivation procedures applied to the product. These procedures are described in the Annex to this decision and the model certificate for such products is laid down in Commission Decision 97/221/EC (2) and has been used for many years.

Therefore the importation of poultry ratites and feather game meat products originating from Thailand that have undergone a treatment according to the methods prescribed by the Annex, part IV, points B, C or D, to Commission Decision 97/222/EC continues to be authorised. The treatments require the product to be heated to at least 70° Celsius throughout, which means in fact that higher temperatures will be reached in the product.

When ‘Ready-meals’ contain meat which still has the characteristics of fresh meat (e.g. they have only been salted, seasoned or rolled in flour and then frozen) they are not considered as meat products, but fall under the definition of meat preparations, which are covered by the current ban.

It is the responsibility of the Member States to control consignments at the Community's border inspection posts on the fulfilment of the Community health standards and to take appropriate actions in case of non conformity to the Community legislation.

The Commission's Taxation and Customs Union Directorate-General (DG) is furthermore closely working with Member States customs administrations to implement in a practical way a co-ordinated approach to risk management across the Community. A recent example is the sharing of information to support controls to enforce the recent ban on poultry products from the infected countries in Asia.

The Commission emphasizes that all measures are supported by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, in which experts of all Member States are represented.

The import of poultry meat from Asia in airports by passengers is banned by Commission Decision 2002/995/EC (3). Under these rules, poultry meat and meat products cannot be introduced into the European Union without conforming to the same health requirements as commercial imports.

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(1)  Commission Decision 97/222/EC of 28 February 1997 laying down the list of third countries from which the Member States authorise the importation of meat products, OJ L 89, 4.4.1997.

(2)  Commission Decision 97/221/EC of 28 February 1997 laying down the animal health conditions and model veterinary certificates in respect of imports of meat products from third countries and revoking Decision 91/449/EEC, OJ L 89, 4.4.1997.

(3)  Commission Decision 2002/995/EC of 9 December 2002 laying down interim safeguard measures with regard to imports of products of animal origin for personal consumption, OJ L 353, 30.12.2002.

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