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World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

• An intergovernmental organization created by international agreement on 25 January 1924
• 182 members (2018)
Main Objectives (duties)
• Provide co-ordination at international level for studies devoted to surveillance + control of diseases of animals
• Inform Governments about the occurrence and course of diseases of animals throughout the world and ways
of controlling these diseases
• To examine regulations for trade in animals and products of animal origin, with a view to harmonizing such
regulations among Member Countries
• To give priority to the welfare of animals used in agriculture and aquaculture and to identify animal welfare
research needs
Principles
• Transparency: ensure transparency in the global animal disease situation
• Scientific information: collect, analyse and disseminate veterinary scientific information
• International solidarity: encourage international solidarity in the control of animal diseases
• Promotion of veterinary services: improve the legal framework and resources of national veterinary services
• Sanitary safety: safeguard world trade by publishing health standards for international trade in animals and
animal products
• Food safety and animal welfare: to provide a better guarantee of food of animal origin and to promote animal
welfare through a science-based approach
Structure
• The OIE is placed under the authority of World Assembly of Delegates (International Committee) composed
of representatives designated by the Governments of Member Countries.
• The Council (Administrative Commission) represents the International Committee btwn the General Sessions
• The day-to-day operation of the OIE is managed at the Headquarters situated in Paris and placed under the
responsibility of a Director General elected by the World Assembly of Delegates.
• The Headquarters implement and coordinate activities such as disease information, technical cooperation and
scientific activities, which the World Assembly of Delegates has decided upon.
Five regional commissions: Africa, Americas, Asia and far east and Oceania, Europe, Middle East
Specialist Commissions
• Code Commission: Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission
• Scientific Commission: Scientific Commission for Animal Diseases
• Laboratories Commission: Biological Standards Commission
• Aquatic Animals Commission: Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission
• Reference labs!

Scientific Publications
• Scientific and Technical Review
• Disease Information
• World Animal Health
• Bulletin

International Relations
The OIE has permanent relations with some 45 other International Organisations, including the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Inter-American Institute for
Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), with which co-operation agreements have been signed.
The OIE collects and analyses the latest scientific information on animal disease control. This information is then
made available to the Member Countries to help them to improve the methods used to control and eradicate these
diseases

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List A: List of transmissible diseases which have the potential for very serious and rapid spread, irrespective of
national borders, which are of serious socio-economic or public health consequence and which are of major
importance in the international trade of animals and animal products.
List B: List of transmissible diseases which are considered to be of socio-economic and/or public health importance
within countries and which are significant in the international trade of animals and animal products.
• Each Member Country undertakes to report the animal diseases that it detects on its territory.
• The OIE then disseminates the info to other countries, they take the necessary preventive action.
• This info also includes diseases transmissible to humans and intentional introduction of pathogens
• Information is sent out immediately or periodically depending on the seriousness of the disease.
• Dissemination via e-mail, Disease Information and the World Animal Health Information Database (WAHID)
Interface.
GATT Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (1 January 1995)
• The aim is to reduce to a minimum the negative effects of health barriers on international trade, states in particular
that countries should, with a view to achieving the widest possible harmonisation of their animal health measures
taken to ensure the protection of human and animal life and health, establish their measures on the basis of
international standards, guidelines and recommendations
• Those international animal health measures which conform to international standards, guidelines and
recommendations will be deemed necessary for the protection of human and animal life and health and considered
to be in accordance with the SPS Agreement.
• The SPS Agreement subsequently specifies that the expression "standards, guidelines and recommendations...for
animal health and zoonoses" refers to the "standards, guidelines and recommendations developed under the
auspices of the OIE".
• OIE has been chosen by GATT as the reference international organisation for problems of animal health
encountered in international trade in animals and animal products
• If scientific or technical questions are raised in connection with an animal health dispute, the WTO panel
responsible for settling the dispute will be able to consult the OIE

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International Organisations
1. World Health Organisation (WHO)
• WHO’s Constitution came into force on 7 April 1948 (194 members)
• They meet every year at the World Health Assembly in Geneva to set policy for the Organization, approve the
Organization’s budget, and every five years, to appoint the Director-General.
• Their work is supported by the 34-member Executive Board, which is elected by the Health Assembly.
• Six regional committees focus on health matters of a regional nature.
• The Secretariat of WHO is staffed by some 8000 health and other experts and support staff on fixed-term
appointments, working at headquarters, in the six regional offices, and in countries
• WHO is the directing and coordinating authority on international health within the United Nations’ system.
• WHO experts produce health guidelines and standards, and help countries to address public health issues.
• WHO also supports and promotes health research.
• Through WHO, governments can jointly tackle global health problems and improve people’s well-being.
Role of WHO in Public Health
• WHO fulfils its objectives through its core
• Providing leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in partnerships where joint action is needed;
• Shaping research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation and dissemination of valuable knowledge;
• Setting norms and standards and promoting and monitoring their implementation;
• Articulating ethical and evidence-based policy options;
• Providing technical support, catalysing change, and building sustainable institutional capacity
• Monitoring the health situation and assessing health trends.

Divisions:
• Infectious diseases (including Veterinary Public Health)
• Non-infectious diseases
• Environment protection

Veterinary Public Health section:

• Zoonoses control (WHO zoonoses centre: Buenos Aires: brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, leptospirosis, rabies;
Mediterranean zoonoses control centre: Athens)
• Food hygiene and control
• Comparative medicine (tumours; influenza; animal research)

FAO-WHO Codex Alimentarius Committee

WHO programmes related to Zoonoses and Veterinary Public Health
• Mediterranean Zoonoses Control Programme
• Codex Alimentarius
• Biologicals, quality assurance and safety
• Communicable Disease Surveillance & Response
• Food Safety
• Global Salmonella-Surveillance
• Leishmaniosis
• Partners for Parasite Control
• Rabies
• RabNet, rabies interactive and information mapping system
• Water Sanitation and Health
• Global Early Warning System for Major Animal Diseases, including Zoonoses

2. Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)

• Intergovernmental organization, 194 Member Nations and one member organization, the European Union.
• Headquarters in Rome, FAO is present in over 130 countries

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• Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts - to make sure people have regular access to
enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.
o Putting information within reach
o Sharing policy expertise.
o Providing a meeting place for nations.
o Bringing knowledge to the field

Governance
• Representatives of members meet at the biennial FAO Conference to review global governance policy issues
and international frameworks, evaluate work carried out and to approve the budget for the next biennium.
• The Conference elects Council Members, to serve 3yr rotating terms to carry out executive oversight of
programme and budgetary activities. Also elects a Director-General to a 4yr term of office, renewable once
Departments
• Agriculture and Consumer Protection
• Climate, Biodiversity, Land and Water Department
• Corporate Services
• Economic and Social Development
• Fisheries and Aquaculture
• Forestry
• Technical Cooperation and Programme Management

Funding and expenditure

• FAO's overall programme of work is funded by assessed and voluntary contributions.
• The assessed contributions are member countries' contributions, set at the biennial FAO Conference.
• The voluntary contributions provided by members and other partners support technical and emergency
(including rehabilitation) assistance to governments, as well as direct support to FAO's core work.
Programs
A. Emergency Prevention System (EMPRES)
• Strategies for intervention and improved management
• Monitor and give early warning and ultimately prevent animal diseases

B. Food Chain Crisis Management Framework

• Multidisciplinary and coherent approach to threats affecting the food chain by integrating prevention, early
warning, preparedness and response.
C. Crisis Management Centre for Animal Health
• Rapid response unit which works alongside governments to prevent/limit spread of high-impact animal
diseases.
D. The European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth disease (EuFMD)
E. Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES)
F. Avian Influenza
G. Programme Against African Trypanosomosis (PAAT)
H. Crisis Management Centre –Animal Health
I. Animal production and health
Animal Health Issues
- Zoonotic, transboundary, insect-borne diseases
- Diseases of production and hygiene
- Veterinary public health
- One Health
- Food safety
- Strengthening of veterinary systems
- Antimicrobial resistance
Animal diseases:

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• Campaign against rinderpest, 1947: China>Asia: eradication

• Pan-African Campaign against Rinderpest (cooperation with other organizations)
• Isotopes, radiation: possible influence on agriculture (cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency)
• Foot and Mouth Disease, 1953 (international cooperation)1989: 29 member countries
• 1951-52: 860.000 outbreaks; 1990: no outbreaks; 1991: EC stopped vaccination against FMD
3. Council of Europe
Characteristic feature: it is designed to enable as many countries as possible to become members. This meant
conceding the limitation that its activities would not extend beyond the scope of normal international cooperation.
Based in Strasbourg (France), covers virtually the entire European continent, with its 47 member countries. Founded
on 5 May 1949 by 10 countries. Seeks to develop throughout Europe common and democratic principles based on the
European Convention on Human Rights and other reference texts on the protection of individuals.
Objectives:
• Protect human rights, pluralist democracy and the rule of law;
• Promote awareness and encourage the development of Europe's cultural identity and diversity (animal
welfare!)
• Find common solutions to the challenges facing European society;
• Consolidate democratic stability in Europe by backing political, legislative and constitutional reform

Committee of Ministers
• The Council’s decision-making body and is made up of the ministers of foreign affairs of each member state
or their permanent diplomatic representatives in Strasbourg. The Committee of Ministers decides Council of
Europe policy and approves its budget and programme of activities
Parliamentary Assembly
• The deliberative body and the driving force of the Council of Europe. The Assembly has initiated many
international treaties, helping to create a Europe-wide system of legislation. Its members are appointed by the
national parliaments of each member state.
European Conventions
• The conventions of the Council of Europe are not statutory acts of the Organisation.
• They owe their legal existence to the consent of those member States that sign and ratify them.
o European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes
o European Convention for the Protection of Animals during International Transport
o European Convention for the Protection of Animals for Slaughter
o European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals
o Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
o European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other
Scientific Purposes

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4. World Trade Organisation (WTO)

- 1995. World Trade Organization, 125 member countries
- Headquarters: Geneva, meetings once a year, decision making via consensus
- Now: DOHA rounds (from 2001)
- 164 members
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only international body dealing with the rules of trade between
nations.
• At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world's trading nations. These
documents provide the legal ground-rules for international commerce. They are essentially contracts, binding
governments to keep their trade policies within agreed limits.
• Administering WTO trade agreements, forum for trade negotiations, handling trade disputes, monitoring national
trade policies, technical assistance and training for developing countries and cooperation with other international
organizations
• The WTO is run by its member governments: major decisions are made by the membership as a whole, either by
ministers (who meet every two years) or by officials (who meet regularly in Geneva).
• Decisions are normally taken by consensus. The highest authority is the ministerial conference which meets at
least once every two years. More routine work is supervised by the General Council (in three guises).
• Numerous other councils, committees, working parties and negotiating groups cover the wide range of WTO
issues.
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was an international agreement, a document setting out the
rules for conducting international trade, and an international organization created later to support the agreement. It has
now been replaced by the World Trade Organization.
As an international organization, the WTO has a sound legal basis because members have ratified the WTO
agreements, and the agreements themselves describe how the WTO is to function. Whereas GATT had mainly dealt
with trade in goods, the WTO and its agreements now cover trade in services, and in traded inventions, creations and
designs (intellectual property).
The Principles of the Trading System
The trading system should be
- Without discrimination: a country should not discriminate between its trading partners; and it should not
discriminate between its own and foreign products, services or nationals
- Freer: with barriers coming down through negotiation
- Predictable: trade barriers (including tariffs, non-tariff barriers and other measures) should not be raised
arbitrarily; more and more tariff rates and market-opening commitments are "bound" in the WTO.
- More competitive: by discouraging "unfair" practices such as export subsidies and dumping products at below
cost to gain market share.
- More beneficial for less developed countries: give them more time to adjust, greater flexibility, special
privileges
GATT Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (1 January 1995)
The aim is to reduce to a minimum the negative effects of health barriers on international trade, states in particular that
countries should, with a view to achieving the widest possible harmonisation of their animal health measures taken to
ensure the protection of human and animal life and health, establish their measures on the basis of international
standards, guidelines and recommendations.
Those international animal health measures which conform to international standards, guidelines and
recommendations will be deemed necessary for the protection of human and animal life and health and considered to
be in accordance with the SPS Agreement. The SPS Agreement subsequently specifies that the expression "standards,
guidelines and recommendations...for animal health and zoonoses" refers to the "standards, guidelines and
recommendations developed under the auspices of the OIE".

5. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

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The international organization of 36 industrialized, market-economy countries. These countries meet to exchange
information and harmonize their policies in a wide range of areas.
• To support this work, the OECD Secretariat (2000 staff-members, Paris) gathers practical and policy info and
prepares forecasts and analyses, much of which is published in its various periodicals and publications.
• The mission of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is to promote policies
that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.
The OECD provides a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to
common problems. It works with governments to understand what drives economic, social and environmental change.
• They measure productivity and global flows of trade and investment.
• They analyse and compare data to predict future trends.
• They set international standards on all sorts of things, from the safety of chemicals and nuclear power plants
to the quality of cucumbers.
• Main aims: achieving maximum possible economic growth; liberalization of world trade
• First years: elimination of the barriers in trade
• Committees e.g.: hygienic requirements of the international trade of farm animals and meat
• Not obligatory but accepted by EC/EU, FAO-WHO Codex Alimentarius Committee
• Now: focus on economic policy
• 1981: Good Laboratory Practice (results: international acceptance, no repeat)

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The European Union

- 500 million people, 28 countries
- Switzerland, Norway, Iceland have a European trade agreement but not part of EU
- 24 official languages, common currency (euro), flag etc.
• Regulations: are directly applied without the need for national measures to implement them
• Directives: bind Member States as to the objectives to be achieved while leaving the national authorities the
power to choose the form and the means to be used;
• Decisions: are binding in all their aspects upon those to whom they are addressed. A decision may be addressed to
any or all Member States, to undertakings or to individuals;
• Recommendations and opinions: are not binding
Powers of the European Parliament
• Legislative: consultation procedure, cooperation procedure, co-decision procedure and parliament's assent
• Power over the budget
• Supervision of the executive

Council of Ministers
• One minister from each EU country
• Presidency: rotates every six months
• Decides EU laws and budget together with Parliament
• Manages the common foreign and security policy

Summit at the European Council

• Summit of heads of state and government of all EU countries
• Held at least 4 times a year
• Sets the overall guidelines for EU policies

The European Commission – promoting common interest

• 28 independent members, one from each EU country
• Proposes new legislation
• Executive organ
• Guardian of treaties
• Represents the EU on the international stage

Court of Justice – upholding the law

• 28 independent judges, one from each EU country
• Rules on how to interpret EU law
• Ensures EU countries apply EU laws in the same way

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Control Measures for the Control of Notifiable Animal Disease

• Receptive animal: any animal of a susceptible species which is not vaccinated or which is vaccinated but whose
immunization cover is considered to be inadequate by the competent authority
• Infected animal: any animal of a susceptible species in which clinical symptoms or post-mortem lesions which
may arise from the disease have been ascertained or in which the presence of the disease has been officially
ascertained following a laboratory examination
• Animal suspected of being infected: any animal of a susceptible species showing clinical symptoms or post-
mortem lesions which are such that the presence of the disease may reasonably be suspected
• Animal suspected of being contaminated: any animal of a susceptible species which may -according to the
epizootiological information collected -have been directly or indirectly exposed to the causative agent
• Incubation period: the period of time likely to elapse between exposure to the agent of the disease and the onset
of clinical symptoms.
• Infective period: the longest period during which an affected animal can be a source of infection.
• Case: the official confirmation of any of the diseases which is subject of the notification in any animal or carcass
• Outbreak: the holding or place situated in the territory of the Community where animals are assembled and
where one or more cases has or have been officially confirmed;
• Primary outbreak: an outbreak not epizootiologically linked with a previous outbreak in the same region of a
Member State or the first outbreak in a different region of the same Member State.
• Confirmation of infection: the declaration, by the competent authority, of the presence of the disease, based on
laboratory results; however, in the event of an epidemic the competent authority may also confirm the disease on
the basis of clinical and/or epidemiological results;
• Competent authority: the central authority of a Member State responsible for carrying out veterinary checks or
any veterinary authority to which it has delegated that responsibility;
• Official veterinarian: the veterinarian appointed by the competent authority
• Stamping-out policy: the carrying out under the authority of the Veterinary Administration, on confirmation of a
disease, of animal health prophylactic measures, consisting of killing the animals which are affected and those
suspected of being affected in the herd and, where appropriate, those in other herds which have been exposed to
infection by direct animal to animal contact, or by indirect contact of a kind likely to cause the transmission of the
causal pathogen. All susceptible animals, vaccinated or unvaccinated on an infected premises should be killed and
the carcasses destroyed by burning or burial, or by any other method which will eliminate the spread of infection
through the carcasses or products of the animals killed. This policy should be accompanied by the cleansing and
disinfection procedures.
Member States shall ensure that it is compulsory for the suspected presence of any of the listed diseases to be notified
immediately to the competent authority.
When animals on a holding are suspected of being infected or contaminated with one of the listed diseases, the official
veterinarian immediately activates official investigation arrangements to confirm or rule out the presence of the
disease in question and, in particular, must take or have taken the samples necessary for laboratory examination
As soon as the suspected presence of the disease is notified, the competent authority shall have the holding placed
under official surveillance and shall in particular require that:
• A census be made of all categories of animals of susceptible species and that, in respect of each of these
categories, the number of animals already dead, infected or liable to be infected or contaminated be recorded;
the census must be kept up to date to take account of animals born or dying during the period of suspicion; the
information in the census must be kept up to date and produced on request and may be checked at each visit;
• All animals of susceptible species on the holding be kept in their living quarters or confined in some other
place where they can be isolated taking into account the possible role of vectors, where appropriate
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• No animals of susceptible species enter or leave the holding

• All movement:
o of persons, animals of other species not susceptible to the disease and vehicles to or from the holding,
o of meat or animal carcasses, or of animal feed, equipment, waste, droppings, litter, manure, or
anything liable to transmit the disease in question
o be subject to authorization by, the competent authority, which shall lay down the conditions for
preventing any risk of the disease spreading; appropriate means of disinfection be installed at the
entrances and exits of buildings or places housing animals of susceptible species and of the holding
itself
• An epizootiological inquiry be carried out
The competent authority may apply any of the measures to other holdings should their location, their configuration or
contacts with the holding where the disease is suspected give reason to suspect possible contamination. The measures
shall not be withdrawn until the suspicion of the presence of the disease has been ruled out by the official veterinarian.
Once it has been officially confirmed that a listed disease is present on a holding, following measures are applied:
• All animals of susceptible species on the holding shall be killed on the spot, without delay. The animals which
have died or been killed shall either be burnt or buried on the spot, if possible, or destroyed in a carcass
disposal plant. These operations shall be carried out in such a way as to minimize the risk of disseminating the
agent of the disease
• Any substance or waste, such as animal feed, litter, manure or slurry, which is liable to be contaminated, shall
be destroyed or treated appropriately. This treatment, carried out in accordance with the instructions of the
official veterinarian, must ensure that any agent or vector of the agent of the disease is destroyed
• After carrying out operations, the buildings used for housing animals of susceptible species, their
surroundings, the vehicles used for transport and all equipment liable to be contaminated shall be cleaned and
disinfected
• An epizootiological inquiry shall be carried out
When recourse is had to burial, it must be deep enough to prevent carnivorous animals from digging up the carcasses
or waste must be in suitable ground so as to prevent contamination of water tables or any environmental nuisance.
The competent authority may extend the measures to other neighbouring holdings should their location, their
configuration or contacts with the holding where the presence of the disease has been confirmed give reason to suspect
possible contamination.
The restocking of the holding shall be authorized by the competent authority, following the satisfactory inspection by
the official veterinarian of the cleaning and disinfection operations carried out.
The epizootiological inquiry shall deal with:
• Length of time during which the disease may have existed on the holding before being notified or suspected;
• Possible origin of the disease on the holding and the identification of other holdings on which there are
animals of susceptible species which may have become infected or contaminated;
• Movement of persons; animals, carcasses, vehicles, equipment or any other substances likely to have carried
the agent of the disease to or from the holdings in question;
• Presence and distribution of disease vectors as appropriate

A crisis unit shall be established in order to provide full coordination of all measures necessary to ensure eradication
of the disease as quickly as possible and for the purpose of carrying out the epizootiological inquiry.
Where the official veterinarian finds, or considers on the basis of confirmed data, that disease could have been
introduced from other holdings onto the holding where the disease is suspected or from the latter onto other holdings
as a result of the movement of persons, animals or vehicles or in any other way, those other holdings shall be placed
under official surveillance; this surveillance shall not be lifted until the suspected presence of disease on the holding
has been officially ruled out.

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Once the diagnosis of one of the diseases in question has been officially confirmed, the competent authority
establishes around the infected holding a protection zone with a minimum radius of 3km, itself contained in a
surveillance zone with a minimum radius of 10km. The establishment of the zones must take account of geographical,
administrative, ecological and epizootiological factors relating to the disease in question, and of monitoring facilities.
Where the zones are situated in the territory of more than one Member State, the competent authorities of the Member
States concerned shall cooperate in establishing the zones.
Protection Zone
• All holdings within the zone having animals of susceptible species shall be identified
• There shall be periodic visits to holdings having animals of susceptible species, a clinical examination of
those animals including, if necessary, the collection of samples for laboratory examination
• The movement and transport of animals of susceptible species on public or private roads, excluding the
service roads of holdings, shall be prohibited; the competent authority may, however, grant a derogation from
that prohibition for the transit of animals by road or rail without unloading or stopping
• animals of susceptible species must remain on the holding on which they are being kept, except to be
transported under official supervision directly to a slaughterhouse located in that zone for emergency
slaughter or, if that zone has no slaughterhouse under veterinary supervision, to a slaughterhouse in the
surveillance zone designated by the competent authority. Such transport may be authorized by the competent
authority only after the official veterinarian has carried out an examination of all the animals of susceptible
species on the holding and confirmed that none of the animals is suspected of being infected.
• The measures applied in the protection zone shall be kept in force for at least the maximum incubation period
pertaining to the disease in question after animals from the infected holding have been disposed of and
cleaning and disinfection operations have been carried out.
• However, where the disease is transmitted by an insect vector, the competent authority may fix the duration of
the measures and lay down provisions for the possible introduction of sentinel animals. On expiry of the
period, the rules applied to the surveillance zone shall also apply to the protection zone.
Surveillance Zone
• All holdings having animals of susceptible species shall be identified
• The movement of animals of susceptible species on public roads shall be prohibited except for the purpose of
leading them to pasture or animal buildings; the competent authority may, however, grant a derogation from
that prohibition for the transit of animals by road or rail without unloading or stopping;
• The transport of animals of susceptible species within the surveillance zone shall be subject to authorization
by the competent authority
• Animals of susceptible species must remain inside the surveillance zone for a maximum incubation period
after the most recent recorded case of disease. Thereafter, animals may be removed from that zone to be
transported under official supervision directly to a slaughterhouse designated by the competent authority for
emergency slaughter. Such transport may be authorized by the competent authority only after the official
veterinarian has carried out an examination of all the animals of the susceptible species on the holding and
confirmed that none of the animals is suspected of being infected.
• The measures applied in the surveillance zone shall be kept in force for a period at least equal to the maximum
incubation period after animals from the holding have been disposed of and cleaning and disinfection
operations have been carried out.
• However, where the disease is transmitted by an insect vector, the competent authority may fix the duration of
the measures and lay down provisions for the possible introduction of sentinel animals
• Where the prohibitions are maintained beyond 30 days because of the occurrence of further cases of the
disease and as a result, problems arise in keeping the animals the competent authority may authorize the
removal of the animals from a holding within the protection zone or the surveillance zone, provided that:

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o The official veterinarian has verified the facts;

o An inspection of all animals on the holding has been carried out
o The animals to be transported have undergone a clinical examination, with negative result;
o Each animal has been marked by ear marking or has been identified by any other approved method;
o The holding of destination is located either in the protection zone or within the surveillance zone.
o All the necessary precautions must be taken, in particular by cleaning and disinfecting lorries after
transport, to avoid the risk of spreading the agent of the disease course of such transport.
o The competent authority takes all the necessary measures to keep at least persons established in the
protection and surveillance zones informed of the restrictions in force and makes all necessary
arrangements for the appropriate implementation of those measures
Member States shall ensure that:
• The disinfectants and insecticides to be used and, where appropriate, their concentrations, are officially
approved by the competent authority;
• The cleaning, disinfection and disinsectization operations are carried out under official supervision:
• In accordance with the instructions given by the official veterinarian, and
• In such a way as to eliminate any risk of spread or survival of the agent of the disease;

On completion of the operations, the official veterinarian makes sure that the measures have been carried out properly
and that an appropriate period, of not less than 21 days, has elapsed to ensure that the disease in question has been
completely eliminated before animals of susceptible species are re-introduced.
Member States shall ensure that in each Member State there is designated a national laboratory with facilities and
expert personnel enabling it to show at all times, and especially when the disease in question first appears, the type,
sub-type and variant of the relevant virus.
Vaccination
Vaccination against the diseases listed may not be carried out except as a supplement to control measures taken when
the disease in question broke out, in accordance with the following provisions:
• The decision to introduce vaccination as a supplement to control measures shall be taken by the Commission,
in cooperation with the Member State concerned
• This decision shall be based on the following criteria in particular:
o the concentration of animals of the species concerned in the affected zone,
o the characteristics and composition of each vaccine used,
o the procedures for supervision of the distribution, storage and use of vaccines,
o the species and age of the animals which may or must be vaccinated,
o the areas in which vaccination may or must be carried out,
o the duration of the vaccination campaign.
• The vaccination or re-vaccination of animals of susceptible species on the holdings where the disease is
suspected shall be prohibited
• The use of hyper-immune serum injection shall be prohibited.
• In the event of recourse to vaccination, the following rules shall apply:
o all vaccinated animals must be identified by a clear and legible mark
o all vaccinated animals must remain within the vaccination zone unless sent to a slaughterhouse
designated by the competent authority for immediate slaughter, in which case the movement of
animals may be authorized only after the official veterinarian has carried out an examination of all the
susceptible animals on the holding and confirmed that none of the animals is suspected of being
infected.
• Each Member State shall draw up a contingency plan applicable to all the diseases listed.
Financial Contribution

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The Member State concerned shall obtain a financial contribution from the Community for the eradication of the
disease, on condition that the measures applied immediate comprise at least the isolation of the holding from the time
suspicion and, following official confirmation of the disease:
• The killing of animals of susceptible species which are affected or contaminated or suspected of being
affected or contaminated, and their destruction, and, in the case of fowl plague, destruction of the eggs
• Destruction of contaminated feeding stuffs and contaminated equipment, where the latter cannot be
disinfected
• Cleaning, disinsectization and disinfection of the holdings and of the equipment on the holdings
• Establishment of protection zones
• Imposition of suitable measures to prevent the risk of the spread of infection
• Establishment of a waiting period to be observed after slaughter before re-stocking of the holding
• Swift and adequate compensation of the livestock farmers
The financial contribution by the Community, divided if necessary, into several tranches, must be 50 % of the costs
incurred by the Member State in
• Compensating owners for the killing and, destruction of animals and, where appropriate, their products,
• For the cleaning, disinsectization and disinfection of holdings and equipment and
• For the destruction of the contaminated feeding stuffs and contaminated equipment
• Where vaccination has been decided, 100 % of the cost of supply of the vaccine and 50 % of the costs
incurred in carrying out the vaccination
Contingency Plan
Each Member State shall draw up a contingency plan applicable to certain diseases specifying the national measures
to be implemented in the event of an outbreak of any of the diseases. This plan must allow access to facilities,
equipment, personnel and other appropriate materials necessary for the rapid and efficient eradication of the outbreak
Contingency plans shall meet at least the following criteria:
• The establishment of a crisis centre on a national level, which shall coordinate all control measures in the
Member State concerned
• A list shall be provided of local disease control centres with adequate facilities to coordinate the disease
control measures at a local level
• Detailed info shall be given on the staff involved in control measures, their skills and their responsibilities
• Each local disease control centre must be able to contact rapidly persons/organizations which are directly or
indirectly involved in an outbreak
• Equipment and materials shall be available to carry out the disease control measures properly
• Detailed instructions shall be provided on action to be taken on suspicion and confirmation of infection or
contamination, including means of disposal of carcasses
• Training programs shall be established to maintain and develop skills in field and administrative procedures
• Diagnostic laboratories must have facilities for post mortem examination, the necessary capacity for serology,
histology, etc., and must maintain the skills for rapid diagnosis. Arrangements must be made for rapid
transportation of samples
• Details shall be provided of the quantity of vaccine against the disease in question estimated to be required in
the event of recourse to emergency vaccination
• Provisions shall be made to ensure the legal powers necessary for the implementation of the contingency
plans.
Notification
Each Member State shall notify directly to both the Commission and the other Member States within 24 hours:
• The primary outbreak of any of the diseases subject of the notification which is confirmed in its territory
• The removal -after the eradication of the last outbreak -of restrictions from its territory in relation to the
outbreak of any of the diseases subject of the notification.
Each Member State shall notify directly to the Commission, at least on the first working day of each week, the
secondary outbreaks of any of the diseases subject of the notification which is confirmed in its territory. The scope,

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content and frequency of the notification may be temporarily modified in the light of the disease concerned and its
particular epizootiological development
Information given under notification:
Information required in relation to primary outbreaks
• Date of dispatch
• Time of dispatch
• Name of Member State
• Name of disease
• Type of virus, if appropriate
• Date of confirmation
• Geographical location of the holding
• Number of susceptible animals on premises (a) cattle, (b) pigs, (c) sheep, (d) goats, (e) poultry
• Number of stock slaughtered (a) cattle, (b) pigs, (c) sheep, (d) goats, (e) poultry
• Number of carcasses destroyed (a) cattle, (b) pigs, (c) sheep, (d) goats, (e) poultry

Information required in relation to secondary outbreaks

• Date of dispatch
• Time of dispatch
• Name of Member State
• For each disease notified: Name of disease and Number of outbreaks

Information in relation to removal of restrictions imposed in a Member State after the eradication of the last
outbreak
• Date of dispatch
• Time of dispatch
• Name of Member State
• Name of disease
• Date of removal of restrictions

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Veterinary Legislation of the EU (2018 lecture notes)

Development of the veterinary functions within the EU
• 1964: common criteria for trade between the countries
o Directives: flexibility
o Principle of full harmonization
• Common norms: control of disease, inspection of meat, for diagnostic methods and laboratory analyses
• Common standards: construction of slaughter houses, procedures of slaughter; trade live animals + fresh meat
• Production for the home-market remained under national competence
• The importing Member State still maintained the right to check imported products when they crossed national
borders, and to verify that they were in conformity with the intra-Community trade directive
• 1970s and 1980s: directives covering all animal species and animal products
• 1972: common rules for import of animals and fresh meat from non-member countries
• 1980s: Community legislation covering all veterinary sectors, and national as well as intra-Community trade
• Removal of all official check-points at the national borders between Member States
• Veterinary checks of live animals and animal products must be performed at the place of origin before
departure
• Competent veterinary authority in the producer country is responsible for trade guarantees and must ensure
that all required health declarations are valid and in accordance with EU criteria
• The veterinary service in the importing country may examine imported goods in case of suspicion or on a
random sampling basis.
Future Veterinary Legislation in the EU
• Horizontal regulations could be used to lay down general principles and procedures for each veterinary sector:
trade, control of animal diseases, veterinary public health, animal welfare and zootechnology.
• Based on the frame regulations additional rules could be adopted in the form of vertical notifications, orders
or decisions
Regulation on transmissible animal diseases (Animal Health Law)
• Additional guarantees
• Animal Health Visits
• Antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance
• Disease listing, prioritisation and categorisation
• Environment
• Animal identification, registration and traceability of animals
• Movements of animals and animal products within the Union
International Cooperation
• SPS Agreement
• Members of the OIE, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World Health Organisation (WHO)
• Council of Europe: Conventions on the protection of animals, European Pharmacopoeia

Cooperation with Third Countries

• They are obliged to adjust their veterinary systems to EU criteria
• All products imported from Third Countries must conform with EU criteria to ensure a high animal health
level.
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• Veterinary checks of live animals must be carried out at EU official control stations at outer borders of the EU.
• Veterinary inspection of products of animal origin takes place at the EU veterinary import check-points which
may be placed close to the place of destination.

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Veterinary Services of the EU (same lecture presentation?)

• Animal Disease Notification System
• Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health: directives must be based on their opinion
• Food and Veterinary Office (FVO):
o Promote effective control systems in the food safety and quality, veterinary and plant health sectors;
o Check on compliance with the requirements of EU food safety and quality, veterinary and plant health
legislation within the European Union and in third countries exporting to the EU;
o Contribute to development of EU policy in food safety and quality, veterinary and plant health sectors
The Main Areas of EU Veterinary Legislation
• The single market
• Import from third countries
• Animal Health certificates
• Reporting and recording of animal diseases
• Preventive and control measures for the contagious animal diseases
• National eradication plans
• Animal welfare
• Animal breeding, zoo-sanitary rules
• Residuums Standards of diagnostic tests, vaccinations
• Reference laboratories
• The Veterinary committees of the EU
• Financial measurements, monetary support

The Functions of the National Veterinary Services

The duties of the National Central Veterinary Office
Head: Chief Veterinary Officer
Functions:
• Preparation of veterinary legislation and transposition of EU directives into national law,
• Supervision and coordination of the activities of the veterinary services at regional and district levels,
• Decision-making in emergency situations,
• The coordination and cooperation with the network of diagnostic laboratories, according to contingency plans,
• Negotiations with the Third Countries and national representative to various international organisations, e.g.
OIE, FAO and WHO.

Duties of the Regional Veterinary Office Duties of the District Veterinary Office

Regional Veterinary Officer District Veterinary Officer

Animal health Animal health
Veterinary public health Veterinary public health
Animal welfare Animal welfare

Animal Health/Welfare Section

• Execute veterinary controls and check relating to surveillance and notification of certain animal diseases in
the district.
• Organise instant measures when notifiable diseases are suspected and confirmed and to implement measures
to control, prevent and eliminate notifiable diseases according to contingency plans
• Organise monitoring for certain contagious diseases, to arrange the elimination of infected animals and herds
and to institute preventive vaccination or other treatments of animals according to EU approved national
disease control and eradication schemes.
• Carry out epidemiologic investigations in order to trace sources of infections and contagious contacts to other
animals and holdings in relation to appearance of various infectious or contagious diseases in the district.
• Supervise and check -when relevant -movement of animals and certain animal products in order to identify
animal health risks.

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• Issuing animal health certificates signed by official veterinarians in accordance with the EU criteria.
• Supervise the veterinary practitioners in the area with special regard to cooperation and advice in case of
apparition of notifiable diseases or suspicion thereof and in relation to use of certain veterinary medicinal
products for treatment of diseases or for growth promotion purposes in livestock holdings within the area.
• Supervise veterinary surgeons who are accredited to carry out statutory work in the area, i.e. tuberculin testing
and other diagnostic work related to systematic disease eradication schemes and provisions for back-up
documentation for issuing animal health certificate in relation to trade.
Veterinary Public Health Section
• Enforce veterinary surveillance and checks on products, and notification of consumer health hazards including
zoonoses in the district.
• Organise instant measures when consumer health hazards are suspected and confirmed, and to control, prevent
and eliminate consumer health hazards according to emergency plans.
• Supervise and coordinate the veterinary meat inspection services at slaughterhouses and meat product plants
in the district, and to supervise veterinary surgeons who are appointed to carry out supervision of food and
inspection of meat in the area.
• Supervise the official veterinarians issuing hygiene certificates in accordance with the EU criteria.
• Supervise and check movement of products of animal and fish origin in order to verify the identity and origin.
• Supervise the use of certain veterinary medicinal products for treatment of diseases or for growth promotion
purposes in livestock holdings within the area, and to organise the sampling of animals and food submitted to
analytical checks
Sanctions
• Official restrictions
• Exclusion from state compensation
• Fine: animal health/animal welfare
• Infringement
• Criminal offence

Cruelty to Animals
• Any person who is engaged in the unjustified abuse or unjustified mistreatment of vertebrate animals resulting
in permanent damage to the animal’s health or in the animal’s destruction
• Or who abandons, dispossess or expels a domesticated vertebrate animal or a dangerous animal is guilty of a
misdemeanour.
• The penalty for a felony shall be higher, if the criminal offense is carried out in a manner to cause undue
suffering to the animal, or results in permanent damage to several animals or in the destruction of more than
one animal
Violation of Epidemic Control Regulation
• Any person who infringes the rules of quarantine, other restriction or supervision ordered for preventing the
exportation and importation or dissemination of infectious animal diseases or pests which are harmful to
vegetation, is guilty of a misdemeanour

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