Coordination between 53 member countries of Regional Commission for Europe Ago Pärtel

OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR EUROPE – 53 MEMBERS – 1. ALBANIA 2. ANDORRA 3. ARMENIA 4. AUSTRIA 5. AZERBAIJAN 6. BELARUS 7. BELGIUM 8. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 9. BULGARIA 10. CROATIA 11. CYPRUS (+ME) 12. CZECH REP. 13. DENMARK 14. ESTONIA 15. FINLAND 16. FORMER YUG. REP. OF MACEDONIA 17. FRANCE (+AMER) 18. GEORGIA 19. GERMANY 20. GREECE 21. HUNGARY 22. ICELAND 23. IRELAND 24. ISRAEL 25. ITALY 26. KAZAKHSTAN 27. KYRGYZSTAN 28. LATVIA 29. LIECHTENSTEIN 30. LITHUANIA 31. LUXEMBOURG 32. MALTA 33. MOLDAVIA 34. MONTENEGRO 35. NETHERLANDS 36. NORWAY 37. POLAND 38. PORTUGAL 39. ROMANIA 40. RUSSIA (+ASIA) 41. SAN MARINO 42. SERBIA 43. SLOVAKIA 44. SLOVENIA 45. SPAIN 46. SWEDEN 47. SWITZERLAND 48. TAJIKISTAN 49. TURKEY (+ME) 50. TURKMENISTAN 51. UKRAINE 52. UNITED KINGDOM 53. UZBEKISTAN

25th Conference - OIE Regional Commission for Europe Proposal on taking steps towards a closer regional coordination of positions at the OIE General Sessions with a view to delivering common proposals and positions "on behalf of the 53 Members of the OIE Region of Europe„ Decision to create a Task Force composed of Regional Commission Bureau and some representatives of countries or regional organisations, that would, as a first step, identify a few non-controversial topics in view coordination of first common regional positions at the 81st GS in May 2013

Task Force -List of volunteers was drawn up in Fleesensee with the intention to organise the first meeting still in 2012 – France, Austria, Norway, Serbia, Russia, Turkey, Spain, Ukraine, Estonia and EC. -The European Commission organised and financed the First Meeting of the Task Force on 18 December 2012 in Brussels (TF-1) -Outcomes were presented to CVOs on 19 December 2012

Task Force -Opening session -Introduction on OIE standard setting -Standard Setting Procedure of the OIE -OIE coordination in the EU -Regional Coordination – Mechanism and way forward -Mechanism for an OIE coordination at Regional level -Items for Regional coordination / common Position at the 81st OIE 81 st OIE General Session in May Mechanism for coordination was agreed, incl. meeting frequency, financial and linguistic aspects, and secretariat of the Task Force

Task Force -Physical meetings at least twice a year (Nov/Dec and March/April), to select items for coordination -To draft common positions and speaking points for the OIE General Session, at meeting of March/April and by electronic consultation -Circulation of draft common positions and speaking points late April / early May to all 53 Delegates for comments / approval -Final validation of draft common positions and speaking points at the meeting of the OIE Regional Commission in May in Paris

Task Force -Topics for Regional coordination were discussed and a number of non-controversial items were selected -Terrestrial Code: e.g. Glossary, Biosecurity Poultry, Zoonoses, Introduction Animal Welfare, AI, CBPP -Aquatic Code: Glossary, Work Programme -Second meeting in Tallinn on 26 April 2013 (TF-2) to draft Regional common positions for 81st OIE General Session -Summary minutes with agreed speaking notes distributed to 53 MC

Task Force During 81 GS 6 positions were presented on behalf of 53 countries of Europe on Terrestial Code -Glossary -Biosecurity in poultry production -Responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials -Zoonoses transmissible from non-human primates -Introduction to the recommendations of animal welfare -Use of animals in research and education

Task Force Task Force 3 meeting in Vienna, 12 November Discussion of meeting reports of OIE Terrestial and Aquatic Health Standards Commissions ( Sept/Oct 13 ) i.e proposed amendments to Terrestial and Aquatic Code. -TAHSC – 15 possible items for common support and 8 items for further discussion at TF-4 meeting -AAHSC – 4 possible items for common support and 6 items for further discussion at TF – 4 meeting

Task Force Task Force 3 meeting in Vienna, 12 November AOB – utilise the TF meetings also as Regional Commission Bureau meetings for any questions of relevance - Questionnaire and discussion topic for Regional Commission meeting at 82 GS - Minutes distributed to 53 Delegates 20 January TF 4 meeting volunteered by Serbia for late April 2014