WeForest (asbl)

WF

WeForest is a Belgian NGO and an internatioanl team which focuses on halting global warming through large bio-diverse tree planting projects in tropical countries.

Lobbying Activity

Response to Amendment of the list of transmissible animal diseases and amendment/repeal of acts in the Animal Health Law area

21 May 2018

I support the list of diseases that is suggested by the Commission. I do not want to see any changes since it includes diseases with serious consequences at both short and long terms, on animals, farmers and the society as a whole. If important endemic diseases would not be listed, just because they already exist in the EU, the incentive to work towards disease prevention or eradication is lost. The listing of diseases is important in order to regulate and keep exotic diseases out of the EU - but – listing of diseases must also facilitate disease prevention and eradication within the EU. This will allow to insure good animal welfare and to reduce the use of antibiotics. Combined with high biosecurity at the farm level, a safe trade will lower the disease burden and will help to maintain countries free from diseases. An important example is paratuberculosis, which is difficult both to detect and control within farms. Such diseases need to be prevented both at the regional and the national levels. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that countries and regions that have eradicated such disease are entitled to request testing prior to import of live animals.
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