Trade regulations

An avian influenza outbreak has serious implications on the trade of fresh poultry meat:

• Export ban with infection of H5 or H7 regardless of virulence of isolate
• Export ban when highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)

A country may trade freely when the following OIE criteria are met:

• It has been shown that HPAI has not been present in the country for 3 years
• Six months after the slaughter of the last affected animal for countries in which a stamping out policy is practiced with or without vaccination

Regulations when vaccination is used

To claim avian influenza (AI) free status there needs to be:

1. No new AI outbreaks
2. Sufficient proof that repopulated flocks remain seronegative.

Flocks vaccinated against AI test seropositive. Vaccinated flocks need to be monitored for avian influenza infection. Read more in Monitoring.

In the 2000 Avian influenza outbreak in Italy trade bans were lifted after a heterologous vaccine was used (Decision 2001/847/EC)