Livestock provides one third of human protein intake so working together to develop new control methods for the disease problems that are common to countries around the world is essential to protect food security and the livestock industries. Fourteen organisations from 11 countries have so far committed to jointly invest around EUR 1 billion in the next five years through a new international research consortium on animal health. A launch celebration event will take place on 27 January in Brussels.

An exciting initiative to coordinate animal health research globally will be launched in Brussels on 27 January at 13:15. Phil Hogan, the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Monique Eloit, Director General, World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and Professor Ian Boyd, Chief Scientific Adviser for the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will speak to celebrate the launch of the International Research Consortium for Animal Health (IRC). This new initiative, which builds up on several years of research networking on animal health supported by the European Union through its framework programmes for research (including Horizon 2020), aims to deliver measurable advancements in the control of animal diseases through the alignment of both public and privately funded animal health research programmes around the world.

The Consortium includes research funders and programme owners from Europe, Asia, Australasia, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East as well as international organisations and the representation of veterinary pharmaceutical companies. Together, they have committed a total budget in the region of EUR 1 billion to invest over a five year period to 2021. Fourteen organisations from eleven countries have signed so far and the consortium is likely to enlarge in the coming weeks and months. These partners have agreed to coordinate their research programmes to address agreed research needs, share results and together deliver new and improved animal health strategies for at least 30 priority diseases, infections or issues, including candidate vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics and other animal health products, procedures and/or key scientific information and tools to support risk analysis and disease control.

To achieve these goals Working Groups consisting of researchers will be established for each of the priority topics. Guided by a Scientific Committee, these groups will perform research gap analyses. The Scientific Committee, consisting of independent experts, will present the gap analyses to the IRC partners and advise them on how their programmes might be aligned.

More information:

For more information on background, history, signatories and research priorities, read the press article.

Event venue and dates: 27 January 2016 – Brussels, Charlemagne building, Press corner, Ground floor, 13:15 to 13:45 (As part of the conference "Designing the path: A strategic approach to EU agricultural research and innovation").

Websites: STAR-IDAZ: http://www.star-idaz.net/

Contacts:

• Alexander Morrow –STAR-IDAZ Coordinator, DEFRA, UK - alex.morrow@defra.gsi.gov.uk - phone: +44 207 238 3101
• Jean-Charles Cavitte – European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural development - Jean-charles.cavitte@ec.europa.eu - Phone: +32 229-96796