Commission Regulation (EC) No 318/2007 of 23 March 2007 laying down animal health conditions for imports of certain birds into the Community and the quarantine conditions thereof3 has been substantially amended several times4. In the interests of clarity and rationality the said Regulation should be codified.

Following the outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza of the Asian lineage in South-East Asia in 2004, the Commission adopted several Decisions banning amongst other commodities the import of birds, other than poultry, from affected third countries.

In order to draw up an inventory of the risks posed by the import of captive birds, the Commission on 13 April 2005 requested the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to provide a scientific opinion on the risks posed by imports of birds caught in the wild and captive bred birds from third countries.

Following that request, the EFSA Panel on animal health and welfare adopted, during their meeting of 26 and 27 October 2006, a Scientific Opinion on the Animal Health and Welfare risks associated with the import of wild birds, other than poultry, into the Union. That Scientific Opinion identifies possible tools and options which can reduce any identified animal health risk related to imports of birds other than poultry.

One of the recommendations of the EFSA Scientific Opinion relates to controls carried out in the third countries exporting birds, other than poultry, to the Union. Improvements at the point of export should have most impact in reducing the probability that infected birds are presented for entry into the Union. For that reason, import conditions should be laid down in this Regulation in such a way that only imports from third countries authorised for imports into the Union of such birds are allowed.

Another EFSA recommendation relates to imports of birds caught in the wild. The Scientific Opinion identifies the risk caused by those birds that may be infected due to lateral spread from other infected wild birds and from the contaminated environment, as well as overspill from infected poultry. Taking into account the role played by wild migratory birds in the spread of avian influenza from Asia to Europe in 2005 and 2006, it is appropriate to limit imports of birds, other than poultry, only to birds bred in captivity.

It is seldom possible to distinguish with certainty between birds that have been caught in the wild and captive bred birds. Methods of marking can be applied to both types of birds without it being possible to distinguish between them. It is therefore appropriate to limit imports of birds, other than poultry, to breeding establishments that are approved by the competent authority of the third country of export, and to lay down certain minimum conditions for such approval.

The imported birds should be transported directly to an approved quarantine facility or centre in a Member State, where they should remain until infection with avian influenza or Newcastle disease virus is ruled out.

In case avian influenza or Newcastle disease is suspected in an approved quarantine facility or in a unit of an approved quarantine centre, it is appropriate to wait until the suspicion is confirmed to rule out any other cause of disease symptoms before commencing to kill and destroy the birds in the affected premises.

Council Directive 2005/94/EC of 20 December 2005 on Community measures for the control of avian influenza and repealing Directive 92/40/EEC5 was adopted to take account of the experience gained in the control of avian influenza. Based on that Directive, Commission Decision 2006/437/EC of 4 August 2006 approving a Diagnostic Manual for avian influenza as provided for in Council Directive 2005/94/EC6 (the diagnostic manual) was adopted laying down at Union level diagnostic procedures, sampling methods and criteria for the evaluation of the results of laboratory tests for the confirmation of an outbreak of avian influenza. Account should be taken of that Decision as regards the testing regimes for avian influenza in approved quarantine facilities and centres.

It is appropriate to lay down further import procedures relating to the transfer from the border inspection post to the approved quarantine facilities or centres upon entry into the Union in order to ensure that imported birds arrive at the designated approved quarantine facility or centre within a reasonable time period.

Approved quarantine facilities and centres, the list of which is to be published by Member States, should comply with certain minimum conditions.

Certain imports of birds are covered by other Union legislation. Therefore, they should be excluded from the scope of this Regulation.

The animal health risk posed by racing pigeons that are brought into the Union to be released again so that they may fly back to their origin is such that they should be excluded from the scope of this Regulation.

In addition, certain third countries have animal health conditions that are equivalent to those provided for in Union legislation. Therefore, imports of birds from those countries should be excluded from the scope of this Regulation.

Certain derogations should also be considered for those birds found to be infected with low pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease in an approved quarantine facility or centre, in those cases where the occurrence of disease does not pose a risk to the animal health status of the Union.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,