south africas import restrictions on poultry due to highly pathogenic avian influenza in november 2017 the european union raised concerns over country-wide bans on imports of poultry products from several eu member states due to hpai despite most of them have been recognized as free from hpai for months. the european union explained that south africas decision not to accept hpai zoning even after it had received relevant evidence disregarded the regionalization obligation under the sps agreement. the european union noted that this situation has significant impacts on eu trade of poultry to south africa. the european union highlighted its bilateral engagement with south africa including a study visit to the european union in 2016. south africa acknowledged past discussions with the european union and the visit to understand the eu regionalization mechanism that took place in 2016. south africa however expressed concerns regarding the effectiveness of the control and preventive measures in the european union and noted it would have another visit to assess these controls. in march 2018 the european union reiterated concerns over country-wide bans on imports of poultry products from several eu member states due to hpai despite all but one of them having been recognized as free from hpai for months. the european union recalled the oie standard which stated that hpai-related trade restrictive measures could be lifted after the application of a stamping out policy. this stamping out policy had been implemented in the affected areas of the european union and all trading partners including south africa had been informed of this and other developments. the european union explained that south africas decision not to accept hpai zoning even after receiving relevant evidence disregarded the international standard and regionalization obligation under the sps agreement. the european union indicated its bilateral engagement with south africa including an audit visit to three eu member states and further urged south africa to lift the country-wide bans without delay. south africa repeated its concerns regarding the effectiveness of hpai-related control and preventive measures in the european union. south africa indicated its commitment to conduct inspection missions to eu member states in order to evaluate the control measures and to ensure that no risk would be posed in poultry trade. south africa further informed the committee that its inspectors were currently in spain after having visited hungary and poland following which the outcome of these visits would be communicated to the european union. in july 2018 the european union regretted to report that south africa still did not apply regionalization and maintained country-wide bans on imports of poultry products from several eu members states due to hpai. the european union stressed that all but one of the eu member states concerned had been recognized as free from hpai for months that oie standards stated that hpai-related trade restrictive measures could be lifted three months after the whole country or part of it regained freedom of hpai following the application of a stamping-out policy and that oie requirements had been strictly applied by the european union. the european union further reported that south africa had audited three eu member states spain poland and hungary. the european union also stressed that the hpai outbreak in the european union had been the result of the movement of migratory birds and not the result of international trade in poultry products. finally the european union urged south africa to lift the remaining country-wide bans to eu member states. south africa repeated its concerns on the effectiveness of hpai-related controls and preventive measures in the european union. preliminary inspections had been conducted in hungary poland and spain and reports had been sent to each country requesting factual corrections and additional information. the inspections had shown differences in the implementation of