Vector-borne diseases: How to live with them?

The European Union is exposed to the permanent threat of vector-borne diseases. In this context, the Commission has included 12 of these diseases in its list of communicable diseases for European regulation. This decision should be accompanied by disease-specific provisions based on the scientific expertise provided by EFSA. Thus, for example, BTV is now categorized as a disease that can be the subject of an eradication programme based on specific decisions   of every Member State (optional eradication programmes). At the same time, the BTV must be subject to movement control measures inside the Single Market and specific surveillance at Union level.  Farmers are very attentive to this ongoing regulatory process and more particularly to vector-borne diseases. For them, the question is whether they should be prepared to live with these diseases or whether it is still possible to eradicate them. It was the question addressed during the conference on 13 December 2018 at conference co-organised by the FESASS, the Austrian Presidency and the European Commission.

Photo Luc Servais

You can find below the different presentations below and the speech of Dideir DELMOTTE, President of the FESASS.

Photo Luc Servais

FESASS will present as soon as possible, a synthesis of the conference outcome. The challenges are very important in the context of Animal Health Law implementation and in a One Health approach.

We thanks the speakers, the European Commission and the Austrian Presidency.  We  also thank IDEXX for its support.