World Organisation for Animal Health created in 1924 in Paris

Scientific and Technical Department OIE The OIE and its Standards. PHARE Conference, Food and Feed Safety. New Approaches 20-21 October 2005, Bucharest, Romania Dr. Alejandro Schudel Head Scientific and Technical Department OIE

167 Member Countries (May 2004) Americas: 29 – Africa: 50 – Europe: 49 – Middle East: 13 – Asia: 26

Regional Representations INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE Administrative Commission Specialist Commissions Code, Laboratories, Aquatic Animals, Scientific Regional Commissions Africa, Americas, Europe, Asia- Far East and Oceania, Middle East Central Bureau Director General Collaborating Centres Reference Laboratories Ad hoc Groups Working Groups Administrative and Financial Department Animal Health Information Department International Trade Department Scientific and Technical Department Regional Activities Department Publications Department Regional Representations

International relationships Institutional cooperation: World Health Organization (WHO) Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) World Trade Organization (WTO) Codex Alimentarius International Plant Protection Commission (IPPC) International Dairy Federation (IDF) International Equestrian Federation (IEF) World Bank International Federation for Animal Health (IFAH) International Association for Biologicals (IABs) World Veterinary Association (WVA) International Meat Secretariat (IMS) International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Other Regional Organisations (AU-IBAR, PAHO, OIRSA, IICA) Technical and scientific cooperation with more than 20 regional organisations and international professional associations.

OIE’s Missions To promote transparency in the animal health situation throughout the world. To collect, analyse and disseminate veterinary information. To strengthen international coordination and cooperation in the control of animal diseases. To promote the safety of world trade in animals and animal products. To improve the legal framework and resources of national Veterinary Services.

OIE Information System OIE Early Warning System is based on official reports from Member Countries Active search and verification of unofficial information Improve data quality at the field level OIE Global Information System

OIE Early Warning System

OIE Global Information System

Source of Early Warning Disease Reports Reports from Member Countries Reports from OIE Reference Laboratories with Member Country verification Active search of unofficial sources, such as scientific publications and ProMed, and lay publications, with Member Country verification Improved Member Country surveillance is encouraged

Global Early Warning System (GLEWS) Joint initiative OIE/FAO/WHO Animal disease tracking Emergency response Trends analysis predictions Capacity building of Veterinary Services List of priority animal diseases, zoonoses and emerging diseases

OIE’s WTO mandate SPS Agreement recognises OIE as one of three reference organisations for international standards (three sisters) for food safety, the standards established by Codex (*) for animal health and zoonoses, the standards developed under the OIE for plant health, the standards developed under the IPPC

OIE Specialist Commissions Scientific Commission for Animal Diseases (Scientific Commission) Biological Standards Commission (Laboratories Commission) Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission (Code Commission) Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission (Aquatic Animals Commission) Working Groups and Ad hoc Groups (Wildlife Diseases, Animal Welfare, Food Safety, Ad hoc Group on BSE, etc.)

OIE Standards Develops and publishes health standards for animals and animal products Develops and publishes biological standards

advice of experts or other Specialist Commissions COMMITTEE, COMMISSIONS, DELEGATES problem Specialist Commission Updating OIE standards review advice of experts or other Specialist Commissions draft text 1 2 comments Delegates International Committee OIE STANDARD adoption

OIE Standards Terrestrial Animal Health Code (the Terrestrial Code) Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals (the Terrestrial Manual) Aquatic Animal Health Code (the Aquatic Code) Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals (the Aquatic Manual)

OIE Codes Recommend sanitary measures to be used by veterinary or other competent authorities Establish health regulations for the safe importation of animals and animal products while avoiding unjustified sanitary barriers

Animal Health Codes: General Provisions Requirements for Disease reporting Standards for Veterinary Services Obligation and ethics in international trade Requirements for disease surveillance and monitoring Guidelines for zoning and regionalisation Procedures for establishing disease free country or zone Risk analysis methods International transfer and laboratory containment of animal pathogens (Chapter 1.4.6)

OIE Manuals Describe internationally agreed laboratory methods for disease diagnosis for production and control of biological products ‘prescribed’ and ‘alternative’ tests for OIE listed diseases, and ‘other diseases of importance’ for terrestrial animals diagnostic tests for OIE listed diseases of aquatic animals

OIE Manuals Individual chapters for 100 terrestrial and 35 aquatic animal diseases Chapters contain description of: Disease Agent identification procedure Serological procedures Vaccines (when available)

OIE Manuals - Introductory chapters Sampling methods, including surveillance Good Laboratory Practices Validation of diagnostic assays Human safety in the veterinary microbiology laboratory, including agent biosecurity (Chapter 1.1.6) Shipment of diagnostic specimens Tests for sterility and freedom from contaminants Veterinary vaccine production

OIE biological standards The Manuals OIE harmonises diagnostic testing and vaccination through use of standard methods – OIE Manuals Reference Laboratories/Collaborating Centres International Reference Sera quality assurance guidelines Supports laboratories in Member Countries  reliable results Coordinated by OIE Laboratories Commission and Aquatic Animals Commission OIE Quality Standards and Guidelines for Veterinary Laboratories

OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborative Centres 17 OIE Collaborative Centres Expertise in 92 Animal Diseases and zoonoses In 31 Member Countries Involving 150 world renowned experts

OIE Reference Laboratories Purpose Facilitate standardisation of diagnostic tests by designating a source of expertise and standard reagents for Lists A and B diseases

OIE Reference Laboratories Functions and responsibilities 1. Act as a centre of expertise for a disease and standardisation of methodology 2. Storage and distribution of standard strains and diagnostic standard antisera, antigens and other reagents 3. Development of new diagnostic methods 4. Collection, processing and analysis of epizootiological data

OIE’s new mandate for food safety Standards of OIE involved zoonoses and zoonoses transmissible by food. Why a new mandate for food safety?

BSE Lancet 1996; 347: 921- 25 A new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the UK R G Will, J W Ironside, M Zeidler, S N Cousens, K Estibeiro, A Alperovitch, S Poser, M Pocchiari, A Hofman, P G Smith This article in the Lancet in 1996 proved definitively that BSE was transmissible to humans. It promoted BSE from a possible zoonosis to a zoonosis. Until now the most important zoonosis in international trade. It underlined the importance of the OIE standards for Food Safety.

OIE’s food safety goal To reduce food borne risks to human health by preventing, eliminating or controlling hazards arising from animals prior to slaughter of the animal or primary processing of the product primary focus on food safety measures applicable at the farm level

Food safety priorities dual roles and functionalities of veterinary services throughout the food chain public health and animal health good farming practices to minimise hazards at farm level zoonoses those not up to date in OIE Code those not always affecting animals antimicrobial resistance prudent use traceability of animals

OIE food safety work coordinated by Animal Production Food Safety WG In 2002 the Animal Production Food Safety Working Group was established.

OIE - Codex Still no specific mutual agreement between OIE and Codex, but cooperation is continuing based on OIE’s observer status in Codex. OIE and CAC recommended that collaboration be strengthened at the national and regional levels. Cooperation throughout the whole process of standard development. OIE – Codex cooperation

Coordination with Codex need for Codex and OIE to jointly review standards and identify gaps / duplications joint standards mutual recognition of standards linkages between standards priorities zoonoses not currently appropriately addressed in the Code eg brucellosis and tuberculosis those not always affecting animals eg salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis

Coordination with Codex OIE involved in work of Codex Codex Committee on General Principles Codex Committee on Meat Hygiene Codex Committee on Food Hygiene Codex Committee on Milk (-Products) Ad hoc Task Force on Animal Feeding Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food Task Force on foods derived from Biotechnology And of course the Codex Alimentarius Commission

Introduction to the Working Group Request from OIE’s International Committee to strengthen activities in the food safety area and further develop collaboration with Codex Role: Coordinate OIE activities related to animal production food safety and advise OIE’s Director-General and the relevant Specialist Commissions First meeting November 2002, fourth meeting March 2005. First three meetings chaired by Dr Andrew McKenzie and fourth by Stuart Slorach

Animal Production Food Safety WG terms of reference consider all food-borne hazards arising from animals before slaughter, or before primary processing of the product primary focus on food safety measures applicable at the farm level develop work programme taking into account food safety priorities and current work of relevant international organisations, especially Codex manages OIE food safety activities The Working group acts as a steering committe on food safety for OIE.

Working Group participants Members: Codex Alimentarius, WHO, FAO, specialists from all regions of OIE. High level participation of these organisations

Modus operandi Acting in a steering group capacity, as required by DG OIE, regarding the work of OIE expert groups: Provide advice to DG OIE on policy and strategic issues related to OIE’s work on animal production food safety. Priorities:  a) Identifying and addressing gaps, contradictions, areas where harmonisation is necessary and duplications in the work of OIE and other organisations (esp. Codex) involved in food safety standards; b) Strengthening the relationship to other relevant standard-setting organisations (esp. Codex) through enhanced informal exchange; c)Improving coordination between competent national/regional authorities with animal health and food safety responsibilities;        d) Recommending a work programme to address the mandate of the OIE on animal production food safety.

Antimicrobial resistance (1) Two OIE/FAO/WHO expert meetings recommended the creation of a Joint Codex/OIE Task Force on antimicrobial resistance. DG OIE has indicated that OIE would accept the proposal to establish such a Joint ad hoc Task Force Codex Alimentarius Commission has not yet decided on its approach, which will be discussed in July 2005. The Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods finalised its discussions on a draft Code of Practice to Minimize and Contain Antimicrobial Resistance in October 2004 and forwarded it to the CAC for adoption.

Antimicrobial resistance (2) The Working Group encouraged Member Countries and relevant organisations to provide comments to the OIE on the proposed revisions to the Code Appendices on ‘Guidelines for the Responsible and Prudent Use of Antimicrobial Agents in Veterinary Medicine’ and ‘Risk Assessment for Antimicrobial Resistance Arising from the Use of Antimicrobials in Animals’ encouraged FAO and WHO to take into account the OIE work when developing guidelines on risk assessment for antimicrobial resistance concurred with the proposed OIE definition for antimicrobials noted the work on critically important antimicrobials underway in the OIE and WHO and recommended that the organisations work together to ensure a coordinated list. What did the Working Group

Good farming practices The Working Group reviewed a revised document on good farming practices requested OIE Headquarters to redraft the document in line with the comments received and taking into account the draft FAO paper on Good Agricultural Practices, the Codex Recommended Code of Practice on Good Animal Feeding, the Codex draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat and the IDF Guide to Good Dairy Farming Practices.

Guide to Good Farming Practices help competent authorities and stakeholders, especially farmers covers the “farm end” of the food chain the recommendations complement the responsibilities of the competent authorities at the farm level This guide adresses:

Guide to Good Farming Practices covers: Premises Introduction of new animals into the farm Animal feeding and watering Farm management Veterinary Drugs Preparation of animals for slaughter Takes into account and references with other standards (Coxed, FAO, IDF) The guide contains:

World Organisation for Animal Health 12 rue de Prony 75017 Paris, France Tel: 33 (0)1 44 15 18 88 Fax: 33 (0)1 42 67 09 87 Email: oie@oie.int http://www.oie.int