VZCZCXRO1291
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ
DE RUEHHE #0122/01 0401148
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091148Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1487
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HELSINKI 000122 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AGRICULTURE FOR FAS/DLP, FAS/ITP, FAS/ICD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD EAGR USTR TBIO FI
SUBJECT: AVIAN FLU: ADDRESSING AI-RELATED IMPORT 
RESTRICTIONS ON POULTRY 
 
REF: SECSTATE 216147 
 
¶1. The following is Embassy Helsinki's responses to reftel 
regarding avian influenza (AI)-related import restrictions 
on U.S. poultry. 
 
----------- 
POULTRY BAN 
----------- 
 
¶2. Finland bans the import of poultry from highly 
pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) affected countries, in 
accordance with EU guidelines: Croatia, Turkey, Russia, 
Romania, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, 
Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, North Korea, Thailand, 
Laos, Pakistan and Vietnam. In addition, the ban was 
expanded on January 1, 2006 to prohibit imports of 
untreated feathers and parts thereof from Armenia, 
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq and Syria. 
 
¶3. The European Commission extended the ban on imports of 
captive live birds--other than poultry for commercial 
purposes--from third countries belonging to the World 
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Regional Commission, 
including the United States, until May 31, 2006. 
Restrictions on the movement of birds accompanying their 
owners (pet birds) from third countries, including the 
United States, were also extended until May 31, 2006. 
 
------- 
IMPORTS 
------- 
 
¶4. Poultry imports to Finland from the U.S. are almost non- 
existent. In 1997, the EU imposed a ban on the use of anti- 
microbial treatments for sanitizing poultry carcasses, 
which effectively halted U.S. poultry exports to the EU. 
According to the Finnish Board of Customs, Finland imported 
from the U.S. 2,100 live baby chickens (for breeding 
purposes) and 330 live adult chickens (for a total value of 
approximately USD 132,000) between January-November 2005. 
 
¶5. In addition to the EU's ban on the use of anti-microbial 
treatments, imports of poultry to Finland are also hampered 
by Finland's strict salmonella regulations. In its EU 
accession, Finland received a derogation allowing it to 
apply stricter salmonella controls than other EU member 
countries. Finland was granted additional salmonella 
guarantees covering trade in fresh meat from bovines and 
hogs, fresh poultry meat and table eggs which were extended 
to minced meat. All consignments containing fresh meat, 
meat preparations or minced meat (with the exception of 
heat-treated meats) are subject to salmonella control. The 
purpose of the salmonella guarantee (or Certificate of 
Conformance) is to provide consumer protection. Legislation 
reversing the current EU policy has not been drafted so 
far. 
 
¶6. In 2005, Finland imported about 1.7 million kilograms of 
poultry meat, corresponding to about eight percent of total 
consumption. Imported poultry comes mostly from Europe, and 
Brazil. Finland is self sufficient in eggs. 
 
----------------- 
DEMAND AND SUPPLY 
----------------- 
 
¶7. There have been no changes in the demand for--or supply 
and price of--poultry products in the local market due to 
avian influenza concerns, according to Sirpa Rinne, 
Communications Manager for Finnish Food and Drink 
Industries' Federation (FFDIF). This may be due in part to 
the Ministry of Agriculture's public awareness campaigns on 
food safety that have resulted in high levels of consumer 
confidence. Additionally, many are comforted by Finland's 
hygiene requirements (and the Salmonella control program), 
which they consider to be among the strictest in the world. 
 
¶8. The National Food Agency of Finland has repeatedly 
stated that there is no need to reduce the consumption of 
poultry meat and eggs in Finland and that there is no 
epidemiological evidence of avian influenza being 
transmitted to humans through food. It has reiterated that 
the disease is most probably contracted from live, infected 
birds, rather than from poultry meat or egg consumption. 
The H5N1 avian influenza virus has not been found in 
Finland or in any nearby regions. 
 
¶9. Only eggs produced in Finland are sold in the Finnish 
 
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market and no salmonella has been found in them. In poultry 
meat, salmonella has been found on very rare occasions. 
Finland's salmonella control program involves extensive 
testing of egg and poultry production units for salmonella. 
Every hen flock from which eggs are delivered for packing 
is tested for salmonella several times during egg laying. 
The same principles are applied to the prevention of avian 
influenza. Salmonella was not found in any Finnish poultry 
farms in 2005. 
 
¶10. A local newspaper reported in mid January 2006 that the 
French restaurant chain Sodexho limited the use of raw eggs 
in food preparation in Finland because of the risk of avian 
influenza. Sodexho later disputed the claim, stating that 
it had instituted new guidelines on eggs due to the risk of 
salmonella. Previously, breakfasts at its restaurants 
included eggs which were boiled for three minutes. Now eggs 
are boiled for at least five minutes. Sodexho runs about 
500 restaurants in Finland. The company predominantly 
operates in staff and student cafeterias in Finland. 
 
-------------- 
ANIMAL DISEASE 
-------------- 
 
¶11. Finland has managed to keep the animal disease 
situation under control exceptionally well. In the past 30 
years, no animal diseases classified as dangerous by OIE 
have been detected in Finnish livestock. The responsibility 
for keeping Finland free from contagious animal diseases 
belongs totally to the farmers and the food production 
chain. In order to reduce the risk of diseases in animal 
and food production, voluntary practices have been adopted. 
 
¶12. The Association for Animal Disease Prevention (ETT) was 
founded in July 1994 to provide guidance on risk management 
to farmers and importers and to regulate the import of 
livestock, semen, embryos and animal feed. In practice, the 
members of the Association enter into agreements with their 
producers. In the meat producing sector, for example, the 
producer undertakes to deliver only animals born in 
Finland, or imported animals supervised by the Association. 
 
---------------------------- 
AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS 
---------------------------- 
 
¶13. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is preparing-- 
in cooperation with other ministries--a comprehensive Avian 
influenza preparedness plan that will be presented to the 
Permanent Secretaries' meeting by February 15, 2006. 
Additionally, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is 
preparing a comprehensive preparedness plan in case of a 
human influenza pandemic that will be presented to the 
Permanent Secretaries' meeting by March 13, 2006. 
Preparedness rehearsals will be organized on March 9 and 
April 20. 
 
-------------- 
NEW GUIDELINES 
-------------- 
 
¶14. The threat of avian influenza is leading to new 
guidelines to poultry farmers in Finland. Under the 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry regulations that are 
under preparation, free-range chickens would have to be 
kept inside in 160 municipalities that have been identified 
as risk-zones, during the annual spring migration of birds 
to Finland (March 15 to May 31). The new guidelines are 
based on EU Commission decisions 2005/731/EU, 2005/734/EU, 
2005/745/EU, 2005/855/EU. 
 
¶15. The feeding places of outdoor birds, such as ostriches, 
would have to be constructed in a manner that keeps them 
separated from wild birds. The aim of the regulations is to 
prevent interaction between wild birds and poultry, in 
order to minimize the risk of the spread of the avian 
influenza virus to domesticated birds. 
 
¶16. Sirpa Kiviruusu of the Ministry of Agriculture and 
Forestry noted that risk areas include poultry farms that 
are near places where migratory birds convene and rest. She 
pointed to locations along Finland's coast as well as areas 
in eastern Finland where there are duck and goose farms. 
The new rules, which will come into force in March when the 
spring migration begins, will have the greatest impact on 
free-range chicken farms, where the chickens are usually 
let outside whenever the weather permits. Turkeys and 
chickens will be mostly unaffected by the precautions as 
 
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they are generally raised indoors. Ostriches, which need 
space to run, are to be provided food in protected 
enclosures. 
 
¶17. Veterinary officials will be given detailed directions 
on how to act in the event of an avian influenza outbreak 
or another easily spread poultry disease. All provinces 
have corresponding province-specific directions. The 
preparedness plan includes guidelines for veterinary 
treatment. 
 
¶18. Post has provided Ref talking points to the Ministry of 
Agriculture. 
 
HYATT