The Community Animal Health Policy (CAHP) covers the health of all animals in the EU kept for food, farming, sport, companionship, entertainment and in zoos. It also covers wild animals and animals used in research where there is a risk of them transmitting disease to other animals or to humans.

It is strongly linked to the EU’s obligations under the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement adopted in 1994 in the context of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This Agreement is aimed at minimising the negative effects of unjustified health barriers on international trade.

It persues 4 main objectives:

1. To ensure a high level of public health and food safety by minimising the incidence of biological and chemical risks to humans.
2. To promote animal health by preventing/reducing the incidence of animal diseases, and in this way to support farming and the rural economy.
3. To improve economic growth/cohesion/competitiveness assuring free circulation of goods and proportionate animal movements.
4. To promote farming practices and animal welfare which prevent animal health related threats and minimise environmental impacts in support of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy.

9 Policy areas

Intra-community trade	Preventive measures on imports	Animal disease control, eradication and monitoring	Traceability	Animal nutrition, feed additives
Veterinary medicinal products	Research	Science	Financial aspects