5 Animal health strategy: 2007-13
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13292/07
+ ADDs 1-2
COM(07) 539
| Commission Communication: A new Animal Health Strategy for the European Union (2007-13)
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| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 19 September 2007
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| Deposited in Parliament | 5 October 2007
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| Department | Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 11 October 2007
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | December 2007
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
5.1 The Commission says that it launched in December 2004 an external
evaluation to review the Community's actions on animal health,
given that a number of factors had given rise to the need for
this. These included the fact that the main elements of the existing
policy had largely been drawn up between 1988 and 1995, when there
were still twelve Member States; that new challenges had arisen,
as a result of the emergence of previously unknown diseases and
changes in the perception of others (such as blue tongue and avian
flu); changes in trading conditions, including a significant increase
in the volume of trade, both within the Community and with third
countries; and developments in science, technology and the institutional
framework. In the light of that evaluation, it has now set out
in this document a new Animal Health Strategy for the period 2007-13.
The current document
5.2 The Commission points out that animal health should be seen
as covering not only the absence of disease, but also the relationship
between the health of animals and their welfare, as well as the
impact on public health and food safety. It also says that the
strategy should cover the health of all animals in the Community
kept for food, farming, sport, companionship, entertainment and
in zoos; wild animals, and those used in research where there
is a risk of disease being transmitted to other animals or to
humans; and animals transported to, from and within the Community.
In addition, the strategy is aimed at the "entire" Community.[19]
5.3 The Commission says that the strategy builds
upon the current animal health legal framework in the Community,
and on the standards and guidelines of the World Organisation
for Animal Health,[20]
and that it will aim at ensuring consistency with other Community
policies and its international commitments. It will also guide
the development of new policies or guidelines, and enhance existing
animal health arrangements within the Community, based on scientific
risk assessments, and taking into account social, economic and
ethical considerations.
5.4 The Commission suggests that the strategy's goals
should be:
- to ensure a high level of public
health and food safety by minimising the incidence of risks to
humans;
- to promote animal health by preventing (or reducing
the incidence of) disease, and so support farming and the rural
economy;
- to improve economic growth, cohesion and competitiveness,
assuring the free circulation of goods and proportionate animal
movements; and
- to promote farming practices and animal welfare
which prevent animal health related threats and minimise environmental
impacts, and so support the Community's Sustainable Development
Strategy.
It adds that simple and reliable performance indicators
which help to measure progress, guide policy, inform priorities
and target resources will be developed, and will cover both "hard"
indicators (such as disease prevalence) and "softer"
indicators, related to the expectations and perceptions of the
public.
5.5 The Commission intends to produce an Action Plan
to deliver these strategic goals, and that this should focus on
the following four main areas of activity.
PRIORITISATION OF COMMUNITY INTERVENTION
5.6 The Commission says that risks must be profiled
and categorised in order to provide a basis for decisions as to
where the responsibility for action lies, and also to determine
their relevance to the four main goals of the strategy, the "acceptable"
level of risk for the Community, and the relative priority for
action to reduce that risk. It adds that the aim should be to
reduce serious risks to human health and the rural economy to
a negligible level, but that, since a zero risk cannot be achieved,
the cost-effectiveness of various actions must be analysed to
ensure the best use of resources, and that, where there is scientific
uncertainty, proportionate provisional measures should be taken
using the precautionary principle. The Commission suggests that
targets should be set at Community, national and (where appropriate)
regional levels, with suitable performance indicators being used
to assess progress, and with an appropriate level of resources
being applied to achieve the desired level of protection.
A MODERN ANIMAL HEALTH FRAMEWORK
A single and clearer regulatory framework
5.7 The Commission says that constantly evolving
legislation is one of the main mechanisms for Community intervention
in animal health, and that better regulation principles will be
applied through strengthened partnership and enhanced communication.
It adds that the future strategy should aim to replace the existing
series of linked policy actions by a single framework, covering
animal nutrition and welfare, and also recommendations of OIE
and Codex Alimentarius. It points out that the Commission itself
is responsible for ensuring that unjustified national measures
do not constitute an obstacle to the internal market, but that
the Community legal framework needs to be suitably flexible, that
roles and responsibilities need to be defined clearly, and that
an incentive-oriented approach is needed at all levels.
Developing efficient cost and responsibility sharing
schemes
5.8 The Commission notes that existing compensation
schemes are mainly focused on providing compensation for animal
owners in the event of a disease outbreak, and that appropriate
sharing of costs, benefits and responsibilities could contribute
significantly to the key objectives of the strategy. It observes
that, on the one hand, Governments have an important role in securing
the Community's external borders against the introduction of disease
and leading the response to any outbreaks, but that, on the other
hand, responsibility for the health of animals lies primarily
with owners and the industry as a whole, which means that they
are better placed than others to deal with many of the risks involved.
The Commission adds that there is clear recognition that the policy
needs the full participation and commitment of all parties, and
that a feasibility study is needed in order to develop concrete
proposals.
5.9 The Commission also refers to the feed sector,
where it says public authorities tend to be heavily burdened with
the costs of withdrawal, transport, storage and destruction when
large-scale incidents occur, whereas feed business operators are
liable for any infringements of the relevant legislation and the
direct consequences of withdrawals from the market. It says that
it will submit during 2007 a report on the possibilities of an
effective system of financial guarantees for feed business operators.
Community influence on international standards
5.10 The Commission notes that Community legislation
is already largely based on the recommendations and guidelines
of OIE and Codex Alimentarius, but that there are areas where
convergence could be improved. It adds that where the OIE and
Codex have adopted standards, the Community will comply with them,
but that, if there is a scientific justification, it may introduce
measures which result in a higher level of protection. In addition,
it will continue to be active in promoting its own standards in
these fora. As regards imports, the Commission believes that the
Community should improve the communication of its requirements
to its trading partners, and encourage other members of the OIE
and Codex to improve the alignment of their legislation with international
recommendations. It considers that, since the Community has exclusive
competence in almost all OIE's areas of activity, it should become
a member (as it has already in the case of Codex Alimentarius).
Towards an export strategy at Community level
5.11 The Commission says that the high level of animal
health within the Community will make a key contribution to growth
and jobs in Europe, and enable European companies to compete fairly
on export markets. However, it notes that, whilst import conditions
for food of animal origin and animal products are largely harmonised,
this is not the case for exports, and that, since this is an area
of exclusive Community competence, it is discussing with the Member
States the implementation of existing and future policy on negotiations
with third countries on exports.
PREVENTION, SURVEILLANCE AND CRISIS PREPAREDNESS
Supporting on-farm biosecurity measures
5.12 The Commission says that measures aimed at keeping
diseases out of populations where they do not currently exist
must address the isolation of sick animals, the movement of people,
animals and equipment, the correct use of feed, and procedures
for cleaning and disinfecting facilities. It suggests that, although
responsibility lies with individual owners, the rapid spread of
disease requires a collective approach to be taken.
Identification and tracing
5.13 The Commission says that the Community's traceability
framework aims to improve the quality of data on live animals,
food of animal origin and feed, and to allow traceability across
Member States' borders. It notes that individual identification
is currently provided through a paper-based system of animal passports
and holding registers, combined with national identification databases,
and that the transport of live animals is also traced through
a paper-based system. It suggests that the gradual introduction
of electronic identification raises the question of how the different
elements can be combined and an integrated Community electronic
system developed, adding that small-scale livestock producers
face specific challenges.
Better border biosecurity
5.14 The Commission notes that the Community is the
biggest food importer in the world, and that the challenge is
to improve border biosecurity without severely disrupting cross-border
movement. It also says that border controls rely heavily on the
accuracy of documents presented for checking at the point of entry,
and that veterinarians need to work closely with customs authorities,
addressing fundamental questions such as risk assessment, trust
between national governments, and the limits to what can be achieved
by border inspections. At the same time, it notes that certain
developing countries may find it difficult to comply with Community
standards, and suggests that the Community should provide them
with the necessary technical assistance.
Surveillance and crisis preparedness/management
5.15 The Commission says that, since veterinary surveillance
provides crucial scientific evidence for the Community to support
decisions on prevention and control measures, as well as in assessing
the effectiveness of existing approaches, effective training is
necessary if the signs of disease are to be identified at an early
stage. It also suggests that animal-related emergencies must be
dealt with swiftly, and that ethical and welfare concerns need
to be addressed, for example through a more flexible approach
to vaccination in controlling major animal diseases, so long as
this is decided on a case-by-case basis
SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
5.16 The Commission says that the Community is committed
to scientific excellence, independence, openness and transparency,
and that, in addition to the European Food Safety Authority and
the European Medicines Agency, a network of Community and national
reference laboratories has been set up. It also says that the
new Seventh Framework Programme will be an important tool in support
of animal health and welfare research.
5.17 More generally, the Commission says that partnership
and communication should be the key underlying principles, and
that it intends to build upon existing links by establishing an
Animal Health Advisory Committee to provide strategic guidance
on the appropriate level of animal health protection, and on priorities.
It will also, in collaboration with the Council, organise a conference
to present the strategy's progress through a mid-term review in
2010.
The Government's view
5.18 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 11 October
2007, the Minister for Sustainable Food and Farming and Animal
Welfare at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Lord Rooker) simply says that the Government welcomes the development
of a more strategic approach to Community animal health policy
and supports the overall aims, objectives and principles set out
in this Communication, which he notes are in line with the Animal
Health and Welfare Strategy in Great Britain. He adds that the
test of success will be how far the Community strategy is reflected
in specific future proposals from the Commission.
Conclusion
5.19 Although this document covers a large amount
of ground, it does so in fairly by and large terms, and, as the
Minister suggests, much will depend upon how the broad principles
enunciated here are translated into specific proposals. Consequently,
whilst we are drawing the document to the attention of the House,
we do not think it requires any further consideration at this
stage, and we are therefore clearing it.
19 Including animal owners, the veterinary profession,
food chain businesses, animal health industries, animal interest
groups, researchers and teachers, governing bodies of sport and
recreational organisations, educational facilities, consumers,
travellers, the competent authorities of Member States, and the
Community's institutions. Back
20
Office International des Epizooties (OIE). Back
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