Trade ban 'will save millions of wild birds'

BirdLife Malta has welcomed the decision taken by the European Union to ban the trade of wild birds.

The wild bird trade was temporarily banned in the EU in October 2005 after birds at an Essex quarantine centre in the UK were found to have bird flu. It was made permanent by the EU's chief veterinary officers at a meeting in Brussels last week because of fears for human and animal health.

The ban, which comes into effect on July 1, means that up to two million wild birds annually will be saved from the pet trade which has caused the decline of species such as the African Grey Parrot, the Yellow-naped Amazon parrot and the White-fronted Parrot, BirdLife said.

The BirdLife European network which has campaigned for a permanent ban for 20 years.

BirdLife Malta said: "This decision takes wild bird conservation a hugely significant step forward. Millions of birds will now be saved including the many that die before they even reach their destination.

Now, every European government must ensure that the ban is properly policed, that quarantine rules are fully enforced and that that there is no opportunity for unscrupulous traders to bend any part of the new law."