Item 11. Upcoming Events and Meetings

from 90th Session of the Executive Committee of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth

Closing Remarks

(mainly through the limited FMD cases in forest margin areas in Turkey) and the STC will consider if this, with other priorities, are targeted for calls for the EuFMD-FAR for the next call, and submit the proposed list of priorities to the Chairpersons for endorsement. He finished with horizon scanning and brought to attention three points: • The trend towards multiplex diagnostics, and the issues of FMD and other exotics being detected by such systems, possibly not by national laboratories; • The need for pan-European animal disease spread modelling, considering spread of LSD, PED, WNV and besnoitiosis as examples; • The need for new options in wildlife disease management such as the ANIMO concept (active non-invasive management of outbreaks) as presented by EuFMD at the EC Wildlife Health Conference.

Discussion

The progress was well appreciated and the paper considered a good basis for further discussions relating to financial options. Keith Sumption suggested that in the Balkans Component there was foreseen activities to ensure the NRLs are equipped with adequate diagnostic kits for the regular proficiency test exercises and for diagnostic simulation exercises, which could form part of the solution, for example to use “bank kits” before their expiry dates. He also suggested looking into insurance as an option, if maximum payout was limited and insurers willing to consider this could be found. It was agreed that this should be proposed for discussion at an upcoming CVO meeting and Ulrich Herzog would follow this topic, with the STC and Secretariat. Don King indicated the WRL has a list of current diagnostic bank holders (EU MS).

Conclusion

The STC were encouraged to develop a list of priorities for calls for research proposals for the EuFMD-FAR fund, and provide these to the Chairpersons approval. Further development of the diagnostic bank paper is needed, particularly regarding the financing, and the STC Chairman and EuFMD Chairpersons should work closely together on this. The EuFMD-FAR projects, such as the development of biosafe methods for sample transport, had provided promising new tools and the continuation of this fund (Component 1.5) was supported.