The EU has now decided that the ban on the import of wild birds into  EU countries is to be made permanent. The ban was first put in place as an interim method to control the possible spread of Avian flu via the import of wild birds from countries outside the EU. The decission has received mixed reactions, conservation and protectionist bodies are hailing the decission as a great success in their fight to end the legal trade in wild birds, but others, such as The CITIES organisition, who's job it is to monitor and regulate the licencing of the trade in wild birds, have concerns over its posible impact on the illegal trade that exists with wild birds. Their press release can be read at ....

http://www.cites.org/eng/news/press_release.shtml