ASSOCIATED PRESS
02/12/2006
Belgium - The European Union on Friday extended for three months a ban on live bird imports which was imposed a year ago to prevent the spread of bird flu.
In a statement, the EU said it needed more time to consider quarantine rules and other protective measures which would allow it to relax the ban.
"Given the global avian influenza situation, it was deemed necessary to keep the current import ban in place," it said after a meeting of EU animal health experts.
The ban will stay in place until at least the end of March, the statement added.
