October 31, 2006

EU approves EUR 193 million to fight animal diseases

The European Commission has approved a financial package of EUR 193 million to support programmes to eradicate, control and monitor animal diseases in 2007.

A total of 155 programmes to battle animal diseases that impact both human and animal health were selected for EU funding.

The decision to allocate considerable resources to the fight against animal diseases shows the Commission's commitment, said Markos Kyprianou, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection.

Each year the Commission approves programmes for the eradication and monitoring of animal diseases.

For 2007, 47 programmes to eradicate 10 important animal diseases qualified for financial support, receiving a total of EUR 52.9 million from the EU. Priority was given to diseases transmissible to humans.

Significant sums are also being spent on the eradication of brucellosis, tuberculosis and rabies.

Since rabies has been virtually eliminated in the western part of the EU, most of the activity would be concentrated on the new member states in eastern Europe, with nearly EUR 11.9 million allocated.