Threat Prevention, Surveillance and Emergency Preparedness

Identifying problems before they emerge while being ready to manage outbreaks and crises is a major EU objective. Bio-security measures such as the isolation of animals help keep diseases out of animal populations, or limit the spread of disease within a herd.

Threat prevention and crisis management are aided by surveillance mechanisms such as the EU traceability framework. The framework comprises identification systems, labelling, and TRACES (the Community TRAde Control and Expert System for traceability). It aims to improve the quality, accuracy, availability and timeliness of data on live animals, food of animal origin, and feed, both within countries and across Member State borders.

Import controls will focus on high risk imports, and there will be renewed efforts to help third countries combat threats to animal health and food safety at the source. Stronger measures will also be taken against the illegal trade in animals.

When an emergency does occur, the ability of the EU to take fast-track decisions is of high importance in limiting and controlling animal-related threats at EU level. The EU has put in place measures such as the establishment of a rapid response network, crisis management units and an EU veterinary rapid response team, as well as the reinforcement of EU antigen and vaccine banks.

Follow the strategy's progress

Supporting on farm biosecurity measures
• 11.1 Development of EU Guidelines (different types of production systems and species)
• 11.2 Procedures to recognize/adopt EU guidelines
• 12. Provision of funding to finance and promote on-farm bio-security measures and training for farmers (based on the EU guidelines)

TRACES: single portal for all veterinary matters
• 13. Wider and integrated electronic system, with a unified database including certification, animal identification, and health and welfare status
• 14. Interoperability for national identification databases
• 15.1 Electronic identification (bovine)
• 15.2 Electronic identification (equine)
• 16. Electronic certification to replace paper certification for movements and imports of live animals and products of animal origin

Better border biosecurity
• 17. Revision of import legislation: Risk-based approach to border inspections - (targeting illegal trade).
• 18. Coordination of agencies/services regulating imports (customs/veterinary services
• 19. Risk management at third/neighbouring country level

Surveillance
• 20. Development of an Animal Diseases Information System (ADIS):
  - Compatible with the OIE system
  - Interoperability with TRACES
  - Data collection based on identified key indicators
  - Public information
• 21. Training support in Member States (Better Training for Safer Food programme)

Improvement of EU preparedness against major threats to animal health
• 22. Improvement of DG SANCO crisis preparedenes and management (animal health)
• 23. EU Rapid response network/crisis management/communication capacity
• 24. Reinforcement of the necessary EU antigen/vaccine banks