small projects to address gaps in information of suitability of the European vaccine banks, especially to counter risk from virus types in the Horn of Africa. Actions supporting risk assessment and risk management 14. Activities to note in the period 2003-4 have been: a. New actions (small projects) to support virus identification and typing in epidemiologic regions considered to pose a significant risk, and thereby to determine the suitability of antigens held in the European vaccine banks holding exists; b. New activity, in support of FMD risk assessment by EFSA, mainly through work on models for better identification of FMD distribution and prevalence (10/2004); c. Continued reporting to the Executive on changes in patterns of FMD circulation and risk to EUFMD member countries; d. Continue support to the FAO WRL, financially and operationally, from the EUFMD Trust Fund; e. From the above, it is clear that the need to address the deficiencies in data on both FMD incidence is of high importance for several functions of the Commission. The lack of systematic data on human and financial resources available to veterinary services in endemically affected countries affects identification of policy options for intervention in third countries. The international organisations could be assisted by the EUFMD Commission as a specialised body, to bring FMD information and veterinary resource information together to assist identification of effective policies for countries at different levels of development. Actions to address technical constraints to implementing FMD control policy 15. In line with recommendations of the 35th Session, activities to address technical issues have increased significantly: a. Supporting the implementation of a Research Group workplan developed in 2003; b. Supporting resolution of vaccination to live issues, specifically i. gaps in NSP test validation through project grants to obtain suitable sera (Israel, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong SAR) ii. workshop for NSP test comparison and validation in 2004 iii. working group on surveillance after emergency vaccination in FMD free countries c. Co-ordination of the efforts to increase efficiency of transfer of technical progress into practise, including revision of standards, through: i. setting up and steering of a Coordination Action project (with WRL and OIE) to begin in 2005; ii. technical advisory inputs of the Secretary and Chairman of the RG to OIE ad hoc groups, the European Food safety Authority (EFSA) panel on FMD, and as as FAO representative to the European Technical Platform for Global Animal Health. 16. The STC met on two occasions and continued its position as the pre-eminent, international forum for review of progress in FMD diagnostics and vaccination issues, with a record attendance of observers at the Open section of the Session in 2004. P
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Actions aimed at improving capacity to respond to FMD emergencies 17. Activities to support capacity in European countries to control FMD emergencies: a. Workshop for EUFMD member countries on contingency planning for FMD diagnostic laboratories attended by delegates from almost all member countries;
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