WRL CONTRACT TO SUPPORT GLOBAL SURVEILLANCE

Discussion

The Chairman thanked FAO and OIE for the immense work of preparing the Global Conference and the Strategy, and was pleased to note that the two organizations were in agreement on the programme and that for the first time, a common framework has been created that brings together the PCP and the PVS and is therefore very suitable for monitoring progress.

He indicated that the executive had considered the Bangkok recommendations and that there were several areas of importance and regional interest for support to be provided by EuFMD/EC under the 2013-16 programme.

Dr Gibbens welcomed the more holistic approach in which development of sustainable national control programmes that have strong stakeholder support, coupled with the VS capacity being developed to effectively deliver the public and private services required, should benefit control of other diseases and a lead on FMD could result in rethinking management of multiple livestock diseases. He could understand why several development partners wish to focus on regional and national processes to set targets and rethink programmes for livestock.

Dr Lubroth invited EuFMD and EC to consider the Bangkok recommendations and to take a leading, supportive role in promoting FMD management in the European neighbourhood, carrying on the excellent work to promote long term management in West Eurasia and the Mediterranean. Further, he suggested that EuFMD might consider supportive training for experts from other regions to utilise the PCP approach, perhaps a joint EuFMD/OIE/FAO training that would equip those developing regional and national programmes with the framework of skills needed to write projects based on the PCP and PVS approach. The Chairman agreed to consider this, as it could be an important element in ensuring that principles are converted into concrete proposals, and to promote the new, PCP/PVS common approach.

WRL Contract to support global surveillance

Under the current EC/FAO agreement, the annual contribution (contract) with the WRL for services to the EuFMD Commission has been taken under the EC Trust Fund, and a Letter of Agreement signed covering 150,000 per annum for 2011 and 2012. For the coming years, since these services include advanced reference laboratory typing services for samples from across the world that have an importance to both Europe and to the control efforts in those regions, the EC would be willing to consider supporting the WRL services to the Global Strategy as a support to GfTADS and the international effort to promote FMD management in the source countries. As the Global Strategy had placed an important component upon Global Network of FMD Laboratory Services, with the WRL providing a leading role in supporting the regional lab networks and advanced services, it was discussed and agreed that the WRL component of activities envisaged in the first 5 years of the Global Strategy should be presented by FAO/OIE to the EC with a request for support.

Dr Füssel indicated that mechanisms for funding this under the EC/FAO agreement would need to be established but there was already internal agreement that this is possible for inclusion in the 2013-16 EC/FAO financial agreement, making clear this would be a support to GfTADS, and with a clear distinction from those services provided under the EU-CRL Contract.