By Daisy Ayliffe - 23rd October 2005
EU agriculture ministers will discuss proposals to ban all imports of live wild birds at a meeting Luxembourg on Monday.
The moves comes following outbreaks of bird flu in Britain and Sweden over the weekend.
Vets advising the European Commission will make a formal decision on the issue by Tuesday.
In the UK a South American parrot died in quarantine at the weekend after being infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus.
The bird was quarantined with a consignment of birds from Taiwan that are believed to have passed on the virus.
The UK government said the incident reinforces the urgent need for a total ban on imports of wild birds into the EU.
If supported by other member states, it will increase the pressure on the commission to act.
The commission has been reluctant to put a total ban on imports of wild birds, claiming it would boost black market trade.
The British government confirmed that the British case is similar to strains identified in China earlier this year.
"The closest strain is one identified in ducks in China earlier this year. It is not so similar to strains isolated in Romania and Turkey," an environment spokesman explained.
Sweden said tests there revealed only mild form of bird flu.
The British and Swedish outbreaks follow confirmed cases of bird flu in Greece and Croatia last week.
Tests there are yet to confirm whether birds have the H5N1 version of the flu virus.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.