Avian influenza (bird flu): Questions & answers
Bird and bird product imports
- What are the controls on live poultry and poultry egg imports from other EU countries?
- What are the controls on live poultry and poultry egg imports from outside the EU?
- What are the controls on poultry meat imports from other EU countries?
- What are the controls on poultry meat imports from outside the EU?
- What are the controls on imports of poultry by-products from within the EU?
- What are the controls on imports of poultry by-products from outside the EU?
- What are the controls on imports of captive birds from inside the EU?
- What are the controls on imports of captive birds from outside the EU?
- What are the controls on pet birds imports from inside the EU?
- What are the controls on pet birds imports from outside the EU?
- Are there enough enforcement officers at our ports of entry to stop illegally imported meat?
- Are HM Revenue and Customs putting in any additional checks on passengers from countries affected by Avian Flu?
- What is Defra doing to increase border controls on illegal imports of live or pet birds?
- What is the position for intra-Community trade?
What are the controls on live poultry and poultry egg imports from other EU countries?
A. If an EU Member State experiences an outbreak of serious disease such as avian influenza, existing EU trade rules set out the measures that must be adopted by that Member State to prevent the spread of the disease. If the situation demands it, the European Commission will propose additional safeguard measures.
Intra-community trade in live poultry and hatching eggs has to be accompanied by EU veterinary certificates (ITAHCs) indicating the poultry or hatching eggs do not come from flocks or premises within disease protection (3km radius from infected holding) or surveillance (10km from infected holding) zones, an area defined by EU rules as Area A. Area B is classified as the low risk area which may include all or parts of the further restricted zone established in accordance with Article 4 of Decision 2006/415, and which shall separate Area A from the disease free part of the affected Member State. Live poultry or hatching eggs cannot be imported from Area B unless it is to a designated holding, hatchery or slaughterhouse subject to additional conditions and certification (in compliance with Decision 2006/415/EC) and with the agreement of the importing competent authority of the destination country. Table eggs can be imported from a protection or surveillance zone as long as they are handled and treated in accordance with EC regulation 852/2004.
What are the controls on live poultry and poultry egg imports from outside the EU?
Imports are only permitted from a restricted list of countries which meet EU standards for the control of avian notifiable diseases.
Poultry and poultry eggs imported into the EU must enter at designated Border Inspection Posts, where they are subject to veterinary inspections. All consignments are subject to documentary and identity checks to ensure that the conditions of import, set out by Community legislation are met. All imported birds must undergo a period of quarantine. From the time of import, live poultry, or eggs once hatched, must be isolated for at least six weeks at the premises of destination to ensure they are not carrying any disease.
What are the controls on poultry meat imports from other EU countries?
A health certificate signed by an Official Veterinarian of the exporting country in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No 599/2004 is required where the origin of the meat is a region or area under restriction as a result of an animal health problem. Poultry meat must also bear an identification mark in accordance with the requirements of Regulations (EC) Nos 853/2004 and 854/2004. The mark must be applied before the product leaves the establishment.
Fresh poultry meat cannot be imported from a protection zone unless it is meat from birds originating from a holding outside the protection zone and moved under licence to a designated slaughterhouse inside the protection zone. Such poultry and meat must be kept separate from poultry and meat originating in the protection zone. Fresh poultry meat can be imported from the surveillance zone if derived from poultry originating outside the protection zone, subject to poultry being licensed to a designated slaughterhouse in the surveillance zone. It can also be imported from area B as defined above.
Other poultry meat products can be imported subject to heat treatment as per EU Decisions 2006/415.
Community rules provide for checks at destination - these are done by the Meat Hygiene Service or Environmental Health Officers in the case of meat and other foods. Officials look at a consignment itself and commercial documents to ensure it complies with the rules for intra-community trade.
What are the controls on poultry meat imports from outside the EU?
Imports are only permitted from a restricted list of countries which meet EU standards for the control of avian notifiable diseases.
European Community rules aim to prevent the import of products which might carry disease from countries known to be experiencing outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. Animals and products imported from third countries are subject to veterinary checks on arrival to determine that they comply with import rules.
Import and quarantine requirements are laid down in EU legislation. See the Where the disease is page for current situation on imports of captive birds and poultry.
Only countries specifically approved to export poultry meat to the EU may do so.
Fresh/refrigerated/frozen poultry meat or offal, intended for human consumption, is permitted provided that:
- it comes from an approved third country;
- it comes from an EU approved establishment;
- there is agreed animal and public health certification in place.
In some instances, special guarantees or conditions apply. This may include geographical or date related restrictions or restrictions on certain types of meat, e.g. offal. Further details are available in the legislation below.
Details of the restrictions are available.
HM Revenue and Customs is responsible for action to prevent and detect illegally imported animal products from outside the EU and animals of endangered species covered by the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) convention . Enforcement control for imports of birds rests with Animal Health agency at the Border Inspection Post and once inland, with the Local Authority. HM Revenue and Customs are kept informed of any changes in disease risk and target their resources accordingly for their areas of responsibility.
What are the controls on imports of poultry by-products from within the EU?
Unprocessed and processed feathers can be imported with a commercial document as laid down in EC Regulation 93/2005. Unprocessed and processed poultry manure must originate in an area which is not subject to restrictions due to Newcastle Disease or Avian Influenza and must be accompanied by a health certificate and subject to random checks at destination.
What are the controls on imports of poultry by-products from outside the EU?
Processed feathers can be imported from all third countries in accordance with EC Regulation 1774/2002 as amended. They must be accompanied by a commercial document stating that the feathers have been treated with a steam current or approved fumigation treatment and they must enter through an official Border Inspection Post where they will be subject to veterinary checks. Unprocessed feathers are banned. Please see our Importer Information Note on feathers for import guidance.
Unprocessed poultry manure must originate in an area which is not subject to restrictions due to Newcastle Disease or Avian Influenza, come from countries listed in decision 94/984, be accompanied by a health certificate and are subject to veterinary checks at a border inspection post. Processed poultry manure must come from a country listed in decision 79/542, from a plant approved by the competent authority of that country meeting specific conditions laid down in Regulation EC 1774/2002, must meet production standards for EU trade, must be accompanied by a health certificate and are subject to veterinary checks at a border inspection post.
What are the controls on imports of captive birds from within the EU?
Captive birds are defined under EU rules as non-poultry birds. There is no prohibition on movements within the EU of captive birds from anywhere outside disease restricted areas. An Intra Trade Animal Health Certificate is required for commercially traded psittacines, such as parrots and cockatiels.
What are the controls on imports of captive birds from outside the EU?
A temporary ban on imports of captive birds from outside of the EU was agreed on 25 October 2005 at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH). At a meeting of SCoFCAH on 5 February 2007, Member States endorsed a Commission Decision to extend the ban on EU imports of live captive birds other than poultry. It was agreed that the import ban would remain in place until 30 June 2007. From 1 July 2007, new rules came into effect indefinitely. These still ban wild-caught birds but allow captive-bred birds from approved breeding establishments in some countries outside the EU.
What are the controls on pet bird imports from within the EU?
The import of 5 or fewer pet birds from another EU Member State does not require a licence or quarantine as long as the birds are not poultry. They must also not be intended for commercial purposes. If the bird species are poultry then the birds must be imported under poultry rules. If there are 6 or more non-poultry birds then they must come under the captive bird rules.
What are the controls on pet bird imports from outside the EU?
Pet birds entering the UK from outside the EU, must meet one of four conditions: a) the birds enters full quarantine (30 day quarantine in the UK), b) are vaccinated against AI H5, prior to arrival and at least on one occasion revaccinated within the last six months and not later than 60 days prior to dispatch, c) the birds have been in 30 days isolation prior to export, d) the birds have been isolated for 10 days prior to export and have been subjected to a test for the detection of H5N1 antigen or genome.
Original health documents are required in addition to an EU import document, which applies to all live bird imports. These must be declared to Animal Health at the Animal Reception Centre not HMRC. They must also come through specific points of entry designated by the competent authority of the Member State; for the UK these are Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Marchwood and Shoreham.
Information is also available on our animal imports and animal exports pages within the International Trade area of the Defra website. We also advise that you regularly check the International Trade - Customer Information Notes (CIN) pages for updates and any changes in import and export procedures.
Are there enough enforcement officers at our ports of entry to stop illegally imported meat?
A. All 4500 plus HMRC Detection officers have been trained to detect and seize products of animal origin (POAO). HMRC also has dedicated detection staff (c.100 officers) and there is now a 10 dog meat-detector programme in operation – due to increase to 11 this year. To prevent the smuggling of illicit items, including POAO, HMRC has new baggage X-ray scanners at major airports. These will assist HMRC to detect a range of prohibited and restricted items including POAO. HMRC enforcement is based on risk, this includes information provided by Defra on the animal health disease situation around the world, including the risks from new disease outbreaks, so that they can deploy their resources accordingly. The number of seizures of illegal imports of POAO totalled 32,795, a 28% increase on 2004/05 - about 4 times increase since HMRC took over, this reflects the increased enforcement activity.
Are HM Revenue and Customs putting in any additional checks on passengers from countries affected by Avian Flu?
A. HMRC are responsible for anti-smuggling controls on products of animal origin from outside the EU. HMRC have enhanced checks on passengers, freight and post from H5N1 AI affected countries. This is being kept under review. A flyer on bird flu has been issued to passengers leaving the UK for H5N1 affected countries. This flyer has been produced in 10 languages: English, Thai, French, Arabic, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Romanian, and Turkish. A similar poster has been produced for display at prominent points in airports for inward bound travellers.
What is Defra doing to increase border controls on illegal imports of live or pet birds?
A. We are working closely with enforcement authorities on the issue of avian flu. All enforcement authorities are on their guard for signs of illegal trade or movement of birds.
What is the position for intra-Community trade?
Trade with the rest of EU from areas of the UK that are not under restriction can take place normally.
Page last modified:
12 June, 2008