EU bans feather imports from six states near Turkey - EU - The European Union has banned imports of untreated feathers from six countries close to or neighbouring Turkey to minimise the risk of bird flu spreading to Europe, the bloc's executive said on Monday.

The countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq and Syria, the European Commission said in a statement.

Turkey has now reported 12 people as suffering from bird flu, and three deaths in the east of the country of youngsters who almost certainly caught the virus directly from chickens.

The EU already bans imports of live birds and poultry products, including feathers, from Turkey.

Source: Reuters - 9th January 2006