EC backs €186m for disease control

THE European Commission has approved a financial package of €186.57 million to support programmes to eradicate, control and monitor animal diseases, including BSE, avian flu, blue tongue and rabies in 2008.

For the first time, for some diseases like rabies, multi-annual programmes lasting between two to five years have also been approved, in order to ensure a more efficient and effective achievement of programme objectives.

The 197 annual or multi-annual programmes, which were selected for EU funding, will tackle animal diseases that impact both human and animal health. The large EU contribution towards these programmes reflects the high level of importance attached to disease eradication measures, for the protection of both animal and public health.