EU bans exotic bird imports over flu threat

EUROPEAN UNION veterinary experts yesterday approved an EU-wide ban on the import of exotic birds to help counter the threat of bird flu.

“Member states today endorsed a draft commission decision to ban imports from third countries of captive live birds other than poultry for commercial purposes,” a statement from the EU Commission said.

The move was taken after a parrot, imported from Suriname, died in quarantine in Britain over the weekend after contracting the H5N1 flu strain.