The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the ban on the importation of poultry products coming from the Netherlands eight months after the European country reported a series of bird flu outbreaks.

On August 25, Agriculture Secretary William Dar formally signed Memorandum Order (MO) 49, lifting the temporary ban on the importation of domestic wild birds and their products – including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen – originating from the Netherlands.

This was eight months since DA issued MO 3 in January of this year restricting the entry of poultry commodities from the Netherlands due to the widespread outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, as reported by their veterinary authorities to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

“It is the utmost priority of the Government to protect its borders and territories from the entry, establishment, and spread of animal diseases that may be introduced by the importation of disease-carrying contaminated, or adulterated meat and meat products, which may endanger the lives, safety, and health of the consuming public, pose risk to animal health, and potentially cause serious economic consequences,” Dar said at that time.

Based on the recent report submitted by veterinary authorities of the Netherlands to OIE, the outbreaks of HPAI have already been resolved.

Netherlands has also provided the Philippine government all supporting documentary evidence on the disease control measures carried out by their veterinary services to contain the HPAI outbreaks in their country.