France has been among the countries hardest hit by avian flu, which has caused problems in the supply of poultry meat and eggs in recent years and raised prices in many parts of the world. The devastation caused to its farms and the fear that the virus could mutate into one transmissible to humans prompted the French government to begin a mandatory vaccination campaign, becoming the first country in the European Union to do so. Although vaccination has been considered in many other countries, they have stalled because of the possible trade consequences. Indeed, in this case, the United States imposed trade restrictions on French poultry imports.
October 2, 2023
