Following discussions at ministerial level in Berlin on 20 January and at the AGRI Council on 29 January, Member States' experts endorsed – on 1 February - in the context of a Standing Committee a Commission's proposal to reinforce the communication on the risks linked to ASF as a crucial element to prevent the spreading of the disease. Communication actions – eligible for financial support by the Commission – will target passenger transport operators as well as postal services operators. In addition, in all Member States on the main international road networks travellers will have to be informed via public awareness campaigns on the risks related to ASF. At the AGRI Council on 29 January, Commissioner Andriukaitis had stressed the "crucial importance of the human factor" in the fight against ASF, and asked Member States to make sure that "the right message reaches the right target group – farmers, local communities, hunters, forestry workers, drivers".

The Decision on these awareness raising campaigns will be formally adopted by the Commission in the coming weeks.

For more information on ASF, see SANTE's webpage