Defra's latest risk assessment on H5N8 HPAI confirms the majority of migratory waterfowl have now left the UK. The level of new incursions of H5N8 HPAI through the movement of wild waterfowl to the UK has decreased from high to medium however the risk from resident wild waterfowl and environmental contamination remains high. From the 13 April Defra lifted the requirement to house poultry in the Higher Risk Areas.
Around the same time as England lifting the restrictions on housing birds, Denmark also lifted similar restrictions and allowed poultry outside again. The requirement to keep free range poultry indoors or under netting was lifted in Denmark on 12 April, a day before the restrictions were lifted in England. Free range producers will once again be able to label products as free range as long as they meet the EU marketing regulations.
In other member states, Austria lifted their housing restriction in late March but Belgium will not make changes to their restrictions until April 20 at the earliest. In France duck and goose producers will be required to keep their properties empty of birds for six weeks between April 17 and May 28 in an attempt to combat avian influenza in the regions worst affected by the disease.