LITHUANIA HAS NO AI-RELATED IMPORT RESTRICTIONS ON

UNCLAS VILNIUS 001284

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NB
DEPT OF AGRICULTURE FOR DLP, ITP, ICD
WARSAW FOR FCS AND FAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EAGR LH
SUBJECT: LITHUANIA HAS NO AI-RELATED IMPORT RESTRICTIONS ON
U.S. POULTRY IMPORTS

REF: SECSTATE 216147


1. The Lithuanian State Food and Veterinary Service (SFVS)
told us that Lithuania has no AI-related ban on the import
of U.S. poultry products. Lithuania does, however, maintain
a ban on imports of U.S. poultry due to an ongoing dispute
between the United States and EU over anti-microbial
treatment in poultry processing. Lithuania continues to
allow U.S. poultry to transit Lithuania en route to other
markets.


2. The SFVS told us that it has observed no significant
changes in the demand, supply, or price for poultry products
in the local market due to avian influenza (AI) concerns.
SFVS said, however, that Lithuania's largest poultry
facility reported that it is increasing production in
anticipation of increased demand for local -- i.e., AI-free
-- poultry products. In contrast, the local press reported
last month that concerns over AI could reduce Lithuanians'
consumption of poultry products by ten percent. The SFVS
told us that it has no evidence of any such decrease.


3. Lithuania currently bans imports of all poultry products
from the following countries that have reported having
notifiable strains of AI (NAI):

Cambodia (effective from Feb. 6, 2004)
China, including Hong Kong (effective from Feb. 6, 2004)
Indonesia (effective from Feb. 6, 2004)
Kazakhstan (effective from Feb. 6, 2004)
Laos (effective from Feb. 6, 2004)
Malaysia (effective from Feb. 6, 2004)
Mongolia (effective from Feb. 6, 2004)
North Korea (effective from Feb. 6, 2004)
Pakistan (effective from Feb. 6, 2004)
Thailand (effective from Feb. 6, 2004)
Vietnam (effective from Feb. 6, 2004)
Romania (effective from Oct. 13, 2005)
Turkey (effective from Oct. 10, 2005)
Croatia (effective from Oct. 24, 2005)
Ukraine (effective from Dec. 6, 2005)

The SFVS told us that Lithuania follows the decisions of the
European Commission (EC) in establishing these bans, which
the EC reviews on a monthly basis.

COMMENT


4. The GOL monitors and evaluates the AI threat
continuously. It will alter its policies as its assessment
of the threat and the EC's recommendations continue to
evolve.

MULL