International trade: Customer Information Notes - GE/08/93
Trade restrictions due to Avian Influenza
Purpose
To inform you that High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (AI) type H7 has been confirmed in layer hens in Banbury, Oxfordshire on 3 June and advise how this might impact on exports of live poultry and hatching eggs, captive birds, poultry meat and poultry meat products from Great Britain (GB).
UK’s Avian Influenza Status
Notifiable Avian Influenza (H7) has been confirmed in domestic poultry - News Release on Defra web site. United Kingdom (UK) had already lost its official “country freedom” status following the AI outbreak in November 2007. This criteria is set by OIE, the International Health Organisation, which is recognised by the world community.
Intra-Community Trade
The positive message is that trade from the UK to other Member States can carry on, and in practice is carrying on, unaffected by the incident. The only proviso is that, for the time being, intra-community trade TRACES certificates (ITAHCs) for live poultry and hatching eggs can continue to be issued provided the poultry or eggs do not come from premises under restriction or premises within the restricted areas. Any exporters wishing to export from the restricted areas should contact their local Animal Health Divisional Office (AHDO).
Exporters can continue to apply for intra-Community trade export health certificates for poultry, hatching eggs and captive birds from local AHDOs in the normal way. Such certificates give ‘area’ freedom from avian influenza.
Poultry meat and poultry meat products can continue to move to other Member States on commercial documents. Exporters have a responsibility to know the origin of their product and whether it has originated from within a restricted area.
Non-EU Exports
As a precautionary measure, all export health certificates have temporarily been made unavailable. We soon hope to make export health certificates available again for poultry meat and poultry based products to non-EU countries provided the condition relating to avian influenza can be signed by an Official Veterinarian. AHDOs will issue these certificates entirely at the exporters risk with a disclaimer that you will need to sign (see Annex 1 (PDF 18 KB)).
We will only issue export health certificates for live poultry and other birds if we have positive confirmation from the veterinary authorities of a country that they are content to accept the consignment. Exporters who have an imminent consignment or who have a planned export within the forthcoming weeks should contact Defra (see contact details below) urgently. In these priority cases we will contact the overseas veterinary authorities and the FCO Overseas Post to try to get confirmation that the consignment will be accepted. Exporters need to be aware that in the current situation many export consignments for live birds may not be able to go ahead.
Information
Defra will issue daily situation reports providing as up-to-date information as we have on import bans or restrictions. We cannot guarantee that the information is comprehensive but it will include what information has come to our attention. Avian Influenza - Latest situation information.
CIN Circulation List
If you are not receiving this CIN by email and you would like to do so, please send your name and email address to your local AHDO.
Further Enquiries
Any enquiries about exports or this Customer Information Note should be directed to your local Animal Health Office.
Page published: 4 June, 2008