Ten years after its adoption, the European Commission has published an evaluation of the EU legislation on animal health. The evaluation and the accompanying report highlight the positive impact that the legislation has had in the fight against animal diseases.
The report also points out aspects that can be improved. Animal diseases can have devastating consequences for farmers and rural communities, and affect public health, economies, and trade. The legislation on animal health has helped to reduce these repercussions and to control diseases, while providing a solid framework of preventive zoosanitary measures based on risk throughout the EU. Maintaining high levels of animal health is one of the reasons why the European Union is the largest exporter of agricultural products in the world.
The Commission has also identified certain areas where further work is needed to maximize the benefits of the legislation. These include a more uniform application of the rules across all Member States, a disease categorization system with greater adaptability to new and emerging threats, and a greater use, eventually, of vaccination as a preventive tool.
The current animal health framework is based on the latest scientific knowledge and is continuously updated as necessary. The evaluation has been published ahead of the high-level conference to commemorate the ten years of animal health legislation, which will take place in Brussels tomorrow Wednesday and will be opened by Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare. This event will provide the opportunity to discuss its implementation, the achievements of the framework, and future challenges. The conference can be followed online in line.