EU injects heavy investment into animal diseases control

 

 

The European Commission will provide EUR275 million (US$413.7 million) to support programmes to eliminate, control and monitor animal diseases in 2010.

 

The selected 224 annual or multi-annual programmes will tackle animal diseases that impact both human and animal health.

 

This animal health strategy aims to prevent diseases, so programmes that cover diseases that might be transmitted to humans are prioritised, said EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou.

 

Each year the European Commission approves programmes for the elimination, control and monitoring of animal diseases such as bird flu and salmonella. These approved programmes receive financial contributions from the EU.

 

For 2010, 76 annual or multi-annual programmes to eradicate 10 important animal diseases have been granted Community financial support. The total EU contribution to these programmes is around EUR174 million.

 

The increased budget for 2010 is mainly due to allocations to counter Bluetongue disease in many member states and the approval for the first time of a Bovine Tuberculosis eradication programme for UK.

 

For the expensive TB programmes, the EU will provide EUR12 million for Ireland, EUR10 million for the UK and EUR7.5 million for Spain.

 

Salmonella programmes for poultry have further expanded this year with the inclusion of activities in turkey farms.

 

A financial contribution of EUR26 million has been allocated to control zoonotic salmonella in poultry and turkey flocks in 25 member states.

 

Member states will also continue carrying out surveillance for bird flu in poultry and wild birds in 2010 with financial assistance from the EU towards laboratory testing and wild birds sampling costs. More than EUR4 million will be available from the EU budget.

 

US$1 = EU0.664096 (Nov 30)