Commission predicts h70m bill from bird flu outbreak
THE bird flu outbreak in the Netherlands and Belgium could cost the EU €70 million, according to estimates by the European Commission.
More than 25 million chickens and turkeys affected by the virus have been slaughtered in the Netherlands since the avian influenza outbreak began in late February. The disease has since spread to Belgium and German farms are on full alert in case it crosses yet another EU border.
An initial outbreak in Belgium at a farm in the eastern province of Limburg on 16 April led Belgian authorities to slaughter 250,000 birds.
While touring a bird crisis centre in the Netherlands last month (28 April), Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne said he deeply regretted the death of 57-year-old Dutch vet Jan Bosch – the only suspected human fatality from the outbreak.
"Nevertheless, the current scientific expertise allows us to believe that at present the virus strain of avian influenza in the Netherlands does not represent a risk to the general public," he said.
Under a veterinary fund, the Commission contributes about 50% of the expenditure incurred by member states for culling and destruction of poultry in infected and possibly infected farms.
It also partially covers other costs, including the cleaning and disinfection of farms.
Member state and candidate country vets met on Tuesday (6 May), and decided to extend emergency measures in place for Belgium and the Netherlands until 16 May.
These include an export ban on live poultry, hatching eggs and unprocessed poultry manure or litter. Birds must also be culled in 'buffer zones' around the infected areas.
The vets will reconvene on 15 May, to assess whether the emergency measures need to be further extended.
Belgium	The Netherlands