Source: European Parliament
1. Adaptations to the Union animal health legislation under Regulation (EU) 2016/429 (‘Animal Health Law’)[1] are possible, provided that such adaptations are scientifically based, and that additional flexibility does not jeopardise the animal health situation in the EU. However, recent EU experience shows an increase of notifications of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus infection in wild and kept pigeons in Member States, including in farms keeping pigeons for meat production. In addition, the outcomes of past scientific assessments of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and recent scientific literature indicate that HPAI viruses circulate in pigeons at probably underestimated intensity, and they may play a role in disease transmission as an interspecies bridge in the ecology of HPAI virus dynamics.
2. Under the Animal Health Law, racing pigeons already benefit from several derogations. They may be authorised to move between Member States without certification and can enter the EU from non-EU countries under a simplified procedure, provided they are immediately released to fly back to their country of origin. In addition, Member States already may, in certain circumstances, derogate from certain prevention and control measures in the event of disease outbreaks in racing pigeons or in establishments keeping pigeons.
3. Under the Animal Health Law, the distinction between an infection with a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and an infection with another paramyxovirus (non NDV) is very clear. NDV characteristics, triggering the implementation of eradication measures if found in birds, are clearly defined and in line with the international standards i.e. the Terrestrial Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health.
- [1] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/429/oj.