Period 2007-8

Appe ndi x 23

Impl e me nti ng the EUFMD S trate gi c Pl an for 2005-8

Pe ri od 2007-8

Summary

T he 37th General Session in April 2007 falls at the midpoint of the four ye ar Strategic Plan that was agreed in 2005, covering a 4 year period. T his period can alternatively be consider ed, to be the 4 year period between agr eement o f the plan at the 36th Session to the 38th Session in 2009.

A review o f progress should be presented at the 37th Session.

Regarding the strategic vision – goal;

“ ”- A Europe fre e o f FMD – the FMD disease- fre e state a chieved and maintained in all Europe ”. FMD freedom in European countri es has been maintained in period 2005-7, with exception of T urkey.

Regarding the Purpose (higher level objectives) :

In the 2005-8 plan, it envisaged the member countries, with support from the EUFMD Commission and other partners, working towards the following: (com ment on progress in parenthesis)

1. No occurr enc e of FMD in officially fr ee countries o f Europe in the period to 2008. (on track – to 12/06) 2. Effe ctive managem ent of risk o f entry through improved a ccess to info rmation of FMDV cir culation in source countries and o f epid emiologically signifi cant events. (no change o r r educed inf ormation 05 to 06) 3. No occurr enc e of Asia -1 infection in T urkey over the 4 year period. . (on track – to 12/06) 4. Reduction in incidence of other exotic FMD types entering T urkey over this period. . (not achieved) 5. FMD surveillance targ ets and reporting in C aucasus countries and in Ir an ( and I raq, Syria) that me et the requirem ents of at risk countries fo r early wa rning. . (on track Caucasus, Iran – to 12/06) 6. Incidenc e o f FMD in T hrace region o f T urkey r educ ed to ze ro in period ; targ ets for surv eillanc e, disease investigation and r eporting in T hra ce region m eet n eed for e arly and e ffective control o f incu rsions. (not achieved) 7. Reduction in distribution of type A and type O FMD in Anatolia – de fined by in cre ase in the

Provinces/are a, and in period /time when virus infection is shown not to be present. . (not achieved)

Regarding the Strategy to undertake de fined actions at EUFMD level:

T he strategy focuss ed on a ctions to be tak en to achi eve out comes which ar e use ful to m ember stat es to help them achiev e and maintain FMD fr eedom. It was agre ed the Commission should focus on delivery in fou r key catego ries of a ction in the period 2005-8, plus emergency respons e actions if requir ed.

Progress is summarised below:

Category of action 1. Improved system f or monitoring FMD virus strain circulation operational Limited, but opportunities improving.

2. Technical constraints to pref err ed European FMD control Progress Commen ts Improvements at level of OIE/FAO lab network, and more networking on FMD in some regions. But still no systematic priority system to guide e fforts on monitor. Opportunity for FAO/OIE Regional Animal Health Centres to address FMD submission issues. W est and East Afric a principle surveillance gaps. Financial resourc e need ed. Epidemiology expert group needed.

Some, progress on vaccination Good opportunities to collaborate within Europe. Expertise outside Europe not effectively used. Epidemiology expert group needed?

policies reduced

3. System f or prof essional development in FMD management/ex pertise developed Plan, not implemented

4. FMD risk surveillance and management program mes operating in targe t countries Good in Caucasus and Iran

5. FMD incursions/emergencies rapidly controlled, where supported by specif ic Commission decisions Good in 2006 (Thrace).

to live/ NSP

More human (and facilitation, Use of communication tools) needed to progress working groups /support Chairman Plan developed (present ed to 72nd Executive) but not implemented.

T argets 2005-8 were in T urkish neighbourhood: Projects/progress in place: Caucasus, Iran, T urkey (EC project 2007-) Gaps: Syria, Iraq “ ”New”” gaps: Egypt, Ethiopia, sahel, central Asia

T ype A iran 05 epidemic, incursion 2006 in T hrace: e ffective control with EC support. Risk management , vaccine supply to T urkey autumn 2006. Incursion in T hrace 2007: ongoing.

No confi rmed FMD incursion in EU countries to date (05-1/07).

The Ex ecutive should consider: • I f the fo rmal review o f progr ess should be in 2009 (General Session) –or if there is need for a mid point review • I f Gene ral Session in 2007 should require a ( formal? ) mid-term review o f progr ess, how this can be organised, • I f actions are ne eded to address gaps in the implementation in the remaining period, • I f a revised 4 year Strategic Plan be proposed in April, to avoid having uncertainly in planning for the period following a fte r 2008

Background inf ormation:

The EUFMD Strategic Plan f or 2005-8 , as approved by the 36th Session in 2005:

Set out a strategic vision – goal

Consistent with the EUFMD constitution, the strategy is to und ertak e a progr amme o f actions that will assist member countries, and the EC, to progress towards the goal, or vision, of:

- A Europe free o f FMD – the FMD disease- fr ee state achi eved and maintained in all Europe.

Set out the Purpose (higher level objectives) :

Envisages the member countries, with support from the EUFMD Commission and other partners, working towards the following:

8. No occurr enc e of FMD in officially fr ee countries o f Europe in the period to 2008. 9. Effe ctive managem ent of risk o f entry through improved a ccess to info rmation of FMDV cir culation in source countries and o f epidemiologically signific ant events. 10. No occurr enc e of Asia -1 infection in T urkey over the 4 year period. 11. Reduction in incidence of other exotic FMD types entering T urkey over this period. 12. FMD surveillance ta rgets and r eporting in Cauc ausus countries and in Iran (and I raq, Syria) that me et the requirem ents of at risk countries fo r early wa rning. 13. Incidenc e o f FMD in T hrace region o f T urkey redu ced to ze ro in pe riod; targets for surv eillance, dise ase investigation and reporting in T hrace region meet need fo r ea rly and effe ctive control of incursions. 14. Reduction in distribution of type A and type O FMD in Anatolia – de fined by in cre ase in the

Provinces/are a, and in period /time when virus infection is shown not to be present.

Recom mended a Strategy for a ction

T he strategy focuss ed on a ctions to be tak en to achi eve out comes which ar e use ful to m ember stat es to help them achiev e and maintain FMD freedom.

It was agreed the Commission should focus on delivery in four key categori es of a ction in the period 2005-8:

o Support to FMD control in “ traditional risk areas” - threatening south-east ern Europe and T urkey. o Global FMD observation – virus circulation and risk. o Coordination of technical studies to address constraints to policy implementation. o Capacity building across Europe – raising and retaining expertise and competenc e in the scientific basis of FMD control and in best practises in epidemic management.

The Commission should therefore in the 4 year p eriod dev elop projects, gain funding and implem ent projects to enable it to develop useful outputs and outcomes which are applied in member countries and beneficiaries:

6. Improved system for monitorin g FMD viru s strain circu lation operation al 7. Tech n ical con straints to preferred Eu ropean FMD control policies redu ced 8. S ystem for profession al developmen t in FMD man agemen t/expertise developed 9. FMD risk su rveillan ce an d man agemen t programmes operatin g in target cou n tries 10. FMD in cu rsion s/emergen cies rapidly con trolled, wh ere su pported by specific Commission decision s

T he Secretariat/FAO should take steps to find funding for the following:

• 1: Implementation o f an FMDV obs erv ation action, supporting Eu ropean va ccine man agement th rough better identifi cation of risk trends and events, including:

support to developing country veterinary services to collect and submit samples; support to information exchange and networking o f FMD Referen ce Labo ratories. • 2: Supported actions to address techni cal constr aints identifi ed by the EUFMD Standing T echnical

Committee, working with the FAO/EC/OIE Co-ordination structure fo r FMD and CSF laboratories. • 3: Implementation of innovative, c apa city building action to raise technic al competen ce o f k ey levels o f th e

European epizootic cont rol management. • 4: Field programme support: • Support the implementation of compreh ensive actions for the surv eillance and e ffective r esponse to FMD in the southern Balkans region (T urkey, Greece, Bulgaria); • Implementation o f a p roject fo r e arly wa rning o f FMD r egional risk ev ents, through supported actions with the Islamic Republic of Iran; • Implementation of a proje ct fo r the surveillance and e ffe ctive response to FMD risk in countries of the South

Caucasus (Geo rgia, Armenia, Azerb aijan); • Identi fication and formulation o f proje ct a ctions to control risk in othe r countries n eighbouring to Turkey, and in other FMD risk situations, as required by the emerging situation.

Pl an of acti on of acti on for 2007

1. Towar ds goal of offi ci al FMD free status

- Mol dova: t echn ica l supp ort t o assist M oldova t owards official FM D free st at us is being p rovided under E C-FAO Food Securit y Programm e (EC-FAO FSP), 2006-8 wit h FAO imp lement ing and AGAH/EUFM D as lead t echnical unit .

- Re publ i cs of Bel arus, Se rbi a and Monte ne gro, status of Kosovo; st at us of FM D free wit hout vaccinat ion reco gnised by OIE in 2006

2. Acti vi ty status - unde r the 5 S trate gi c Pl an cate gorie s

Category of Activity Targets/su pported EUFMD fu n ded EC-FAO Tru st Fun d Oth er FAO relatin g to FMD Complemen tary don or & FAO action s

1 Improved system for monitoring FMD virus strain circulation operational All European countries, but global value Annual contract with W RL finished 2005. Scale and content of the new contra ct with WRL to be decided by Gener al Session 2007, including issue of contra cts to implement QA/QC, support fo r OIE/FAO network o f labs. T o be decided by EC..

Projects (value 100, 000 USD) received from Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Niger, to address priorities fo r supported submission: - west Africa, Sudan/horn of A fric a Some regional support e. g: 1. Italian fund ed Central Asia T ADS; 2. Asian Bank Mekong subregional project 3. Norwegian funding ; Somalia

Epidemiology expert group meetings OIE W AHIS development

FAO-EMPRES-I inform ation system development

Exploratory: FAO/OIE and Coordination Action discussion on surveillance networking. SADC region (southern A fric a) ; EC funding 13 million € , 2007-10.

2 T echnical constraints to pre ferr ed European FMD control policies reduc ed All European countries EUFMD-Resea rch Group meeting 2007.

Support contract; T o be decided. Meetings of task groups to progress W orkplan of EUFMD-RG DG-Res funded CA FMD&CSF (2005-). DG-Res funded EPIZONE (2006-)

Category of Activity Targets/su pported EUFMD fu n ded EC-FAO Tru st Fun d Oth er FAO relatin g to FMD Complemen tary don or & FAO action s

3 System for pro fessional development in FMD management/exp ertise developed All European countries, potential global Simulation exercises (Slovenia and Lithuania), QA/QC workshop Secreta riat inputs to training initiative.

4 FMD risk surveillance and management programm es operating in target countries T rans-Caucasus- regional Secreta riat technic al and admin support time. T o be decided. T raining initiative prepared: year 1 request circ a US$ 330, 000 but not fo rmally submitted to EC in 2006.

T raining in FMD investigation (Iran, planned 3/07) to respond to request from Bulgaria and Cyprus T rans-Caucasus: Buffer zone Spring /autumn vaccination 2007 –funding approav al from EC needed.

Revised proposal to be submitted (Jan 07) to EC to fund 2007-8. HPAI training orf trainers appro ach es relevant ? complementarity in approa ches?

T rans-Caucasus: FAO funded: T CP/RER/3001, project extended into 2007. No overlap with ECFAO O ffic e: Provided by Govt of Georgia

FMD management in target countries

FMD management in target countries Georgia BZ Spring vaccination 2007 planned. 2007 priorities: T echnical support to establish T ADinfo/National Surveillance system (NADSS). Baseline national FMD survey. Prevention planning:

Progress Contingency Plans

Armenia BZ Spring vaccination 2007 planned

2007 priorities, f unds not yet agreed : Implement T ADinfo/NADSS with active follow up of FMD sero-surv eillance findings. Laboratory support: EC-FSP support finished 2006. Some EC support to re form o f vete rinary service.

US-DET RA project. Important capa city in FMD diagnosis will be in place.

EC-FSP in country technical assistanc e to implement NADSS.

FAO/Italian Government support

Category of Activity Targets/su pported EUFMD fu n ded EC-FAO Tru st Fun d Oth er FAO relatin g to FMD Complemen tary don or & FAO action s

-training in Brescia and in Yerevan, establish serology to support national surveys. Imprtove capa city fo r outbreak investigation /virus confirm ation Progress NCPs to brucellosis control (started 2006) – some synergy in planned baseline national survey.

FMD management in target countries A ze rbaijan BZ Spring vaccination 2007 planned

2007 priorities, f unds not yet agreed : Address 2006 problems

National baseline FMD sero-survey. Progress NCPs Surveillance system: Implement T ADinfo installation, training, NADSS with active follow up of FMD sero-surv eillance findings. Laboratory support: -extern al quality assurance and training to establish sero-monitoring. - outbreak /virus confirm ation EC-FSP, French bilateral.

US-DET RA project should begin 2007. Important capa city in FMD diagnosis will be in place - ? 2008

FAO/UNDP support to privatised delivery of vet. services, focus on brucellosis surveillance and control.

FMD management in target countries

FMD management in target countries Iran Secreta riat technic al and admin support time Secreta riat technic al support time

Turkey Secreta riat technic al support time

Organise international meeting - “ T ripartite”” on FMD control in the T urkish neighbourhood “ ”. Iran:

FAO T echnical co-ordinator in place provided by France.

Phase 1 programme approved, [US$ 761, 000, of which 2006: US$381k. ].

T urkey: Strengthen outbreak investigation (55k USD) in 3 regional investigation centres (to April 07). Other inputs to be decided 1/2007, depends on start of EC/T urkey funded vaccin ation project. FAO animal health offi ce r to be posted to Ankara ( for Central Asian countries) . Incr eased c apa city fo r local EC enlargement support to FMD eradic ation (project fi che prep ) -support expect ed to begin mid- 2007

Category of Activity Targets/su pported EUFMD fu n ded EC-FAO Tru st Fun d Oth er FAO relatin g to FMD Complemen tary don or & FAO action s

Actions in 2007-8 to protect eastern borders and prep are fo r national eradic ation. T hrace region: Diagnostic support to sero-surveillanc e to be identified 1/2007. Syria T o be decided ELISA kit for FMDV detection supplied. Mission needed: Support package to ensure FMDV can be detected and typed. Surveillance plan fo r T urkish border needed. FMD/PPR/pox/BT technical support

FMD management in target countries

FMD managemert in target countries Iraq Secreta riat technic al support time

Moldova Via Iran proje ct: support FMD typing in those regions (Kurdish areas) on T urkish border. Uncert ain; via FAO(T CES) - support to rebuilding services. Via FAOSEUM (Budapest) Moldova: US$ 314k EC-FAO FSP funded technical support to T ADS prevention and control, FMD fre edom, 2006-8 Unclea r and uncertain

Kosovo

Middle-east and north Af rica

5 FMD incursions/emergen cies EU & EUFMD m. c. benefit. Repeat o f 2006 roundtable on FMD ? Secreta riat technic al support to FMD roundtable meeting November 2007 (2 days) As required; Secret ariat technical support time Via FAO programme support (? ).

Situation dependent.

Category of Activity Targets/su pported EUFMD fu n ded EC-FAO Tru st Fun d Oth er FAO relatin g to FMD Complemen tary don or & FAO action s

rapidly controlled, where supported by speci fic EC decisions

Cross–cutting implementation issues

1. Technical support

Urgent need : additional professional offi cer (d evelop surveillanc e and FMD risk assessment and communication to member states, support to field programs)

Currently: • one P5 (Keith Sumption), and one Associate professional (T om Murray –contract expires 12/2007) in Rome, • one P4 office r (Carsten Poetsch) stationed in T bilisi , 100% dedicated to Caucasus program (contra ct until May 07) • one pro fession office r provided by France (Fran cis Geiger), stationed in T eheran (2007 is last year o f contr act)

2. Operations/Adminstrative support.

Very high workload, proposal there for e to split the routine EUFMD Commission administration from that of the EUFMD operations. Compared to other donor projects, EC funding does not cover operational support (normally 13%) since in the past, operations were implemented by EUFMD Secretariat. T his is unsustainable unless new ways to manage the workload are found.

Currently:

• Routine EUFMD Sessions and reporting: One G5 clerk (Laur a Contaldi) seconded from AGAL beginning January 07 until June 07 (Ms Fragiotta has right of return from special leave ). • At present temporary assistance ( Nadia Rumich) on month by month basis.

Proposal: EC to be requested to pay for an operations clerk at G3 level to service the operations (predominantly in Caucasus and Iran).

3. Technical support f or prof essional development in FMD surveillance and control

T he proposal made by the Secretariat at the 72n d Session proposes that an additional office r to be recruited:

- Part -time responsibilities technical support (backstopping) to FMDV surveillance actions outside

European bounda ries in non-European risk are as - Part-time training offi cer, under the FMD training initaitive (if approved )

Proposal f or ex penditure – 2007

1. MT F/INT /011/MUL - T F number 904200

T o be discussed in the Item relating to budget for 2008-9. Significant points:

• Budget has benefited from decr eased sala ry costs in 2006 (Administrative Clerk on special leave, exchang e rate favourabl e; cre ates an opportunity to use increased availabl e balanc e

2. Scenario for exp enditure from EC-T rust Fund (MT F/INT /003/EEC)

Since the 72nd Session, and I view of the expected short fall in 2008-9 in the Fund, EC (SANCO) took action to secure incre ased funding.

T he Commission voted an increased budget for support to FMD control, leading to a revision of the Agreem ent fo r 2005-8 from 4. 5 million € to 8 million € . T his was signed in September 2006.

T he T able (attach! ! ) indicates the agreed Annex to the Agreement betw een EC and the FAO.

T he new agreement enables the actions proposed (72nd Session) in the Caucasus to be financ ed (totalling 5, 567, 468€), as well as enabling an increased eme rgen cy rese rve to enable vac cine procu rement in emergen cy situations. (Note: in 2006, emergency va ccine procu rement ( fo r T urkey) amounted to 550, 000€)

S ce nari o pre se nte d at 72nd S essi on (12/2005) for e xpe ndi ture from EC-Trust Fund (MTF/ INT/003/ EEC)

IN EURO. Figures for 2005 are not final, and supp ort cost s are not included.

Opti on 2 Ac tiv ity S c he dule d c ontrib.

2, 005 2, 006 2, 007 2, 008 2, 009 T o tal

2,000,000 625,000 625,000 625,000 625,000 4,500,000

T rans-Caucasi a 614,000 636,615 956,418 950,435 3,157,468 Iran 25,000 320,000 190,000 100,000 635,000 Eastern T urkey 40,000 200,000 200,000 440,000 T rai ni ng 285,000 285,000 100,000 670,000 Survei llance 15,000 100,000 125,000 125,000 365,000 T SU Offi cer 100,000 100,000 100,000 300,000 Other 25,000 25,000 Support Costs Total 719,000 1,666,615 1,856,418 1,375,435 5,567,468

Ye a r e nd Ba la nce 1,281,000 239,385 -992,033 -1,742,468 -1,117,468