BRUSSELS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) widened onFriday an import ban on live poultry and poultry products from Romania following fresh outbreaks last month of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu.

    The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, which groups health and veterinary experts from the EU´s 25 memberstates, endorsed the decision proposed by EU´s executive commission after been briefed by Romanian authorities on the latest situation.

    According to the Commission, the ban will now include Brasov county and the four surrounding counties of Covasna, Harghita, Mures and Sibiu in central Romania.

    The regionalized ban on Romanian poultry and poultry products already applies to 26 counties, due to outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza which have occurred after October 2005.

    The Romanian authorities have informed the Commission that disease eradication and control measures are now being applied in Brasov, while supplementary biosecurity measures against avian influenza are in place throughout the country.

    The EU said that the import ban will remain in place until the end of this year, subject to review. Enditem