WHEREAS, based on the report of the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC), Belgium declares that the H5N2 Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) incident in Belgium has been successfully eradicated;

WHEREAS, the cleaning and disinfection of the affected premise was completed on 23 December, 2008 and that on-going surveillance has not detected any additional cases;

WHEREAS, based on the evaluation of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the risk of contamination from importing poultry and poultry products from Belgium, is negligible;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ATTY. ARTHUR C. YAP, Secretary of Agriculture, by the powers vested in me by la w, do hereby lift the temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen originating from Belgium.

All import transactions of the above products shall be in accordance with the existing rules and regulations of the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry and National Meat Inspection Service (DA-BAI-NMIS).

All orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this order, are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

This ORDER shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 27 March 2009

(SGD.) ATTY. ARTHUR C. YAP
Secretary