1. © BLE 2010 Contact Dr. Frank Begemann Jörg Bremond Babette Balzer European Regional Focal Point The European Regional Focal Point for Animal Genetic Resources (ERFP) is the European implementation of FAO's Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources. ERFP is a communication platform managed by the ERFP Secretariat. Under the control of a Steering Committee, it publishes National Coordinators' information and ensures the exchange of information and experience between the different countries and the governmental and non-governmental organisations. about ERFP ERFP Links State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources Global Plan of Action News Meetings Projects new logo? Documents Intranet ?

2. © BLE 2010 Contact Dr. Frank Begemann Jörg Bremond Babette Balzer European Regional Focal Point for Animal Genetic Resources The European Regional Focal Point for Animal Genetic Resources (ERFP) is the European implementation of the Global Strategy of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) for the management of farm animal genetic resources (FAnGR). ERFP is a communication platform managed by the Secretariat. Under the control of the Steering Committee, it publishes the National Coordinators' information and ensures the exchanges of information and experience between the different countries and the governmental and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). It works with the sub-regional organisations in order to reinforce the common approach in neighbouring countries or having the same problems or needs. In this framework, it receives an information support from the University of Hanover, in particular for the maintenance of the European database and the exchanges with the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS) of the FAO. It establishes closer working relationship with international NGOs such as Rare Breeds International (RBI), The SAVE Foundation (SAVE), Danubian Alliance for Conservation of Genes in Animal Species (DAGENE) or the European Forum of Farm Animal Breeding (EFFAB). For all the scientific aspects, it receives help from the European Association of Animal Production Working Group on Animal Genetic Resources (EAAP WG-AGR). The ERFP does not create new structures, but relies as far as possible on existing functional structures in the different countries. about ERFP Links State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources Global Plan of Action DAD-IS EFABIS ERFP | about ERFP Terms of Reference History News Steering Committee National Coordinators Meetings Projects Documents

3. © BLE 2010 Contact Dr. Frank Begemann Jörg Bremond Babette Balzer Background In Europe, the awareness of possible erosion of Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) originated in the 1960s, and from the beginning, the emphasis was put on preservation of endangered breeds. Concerted activities on AnGR in Europe started in 1980, when the European Association for Animal Production (EAAP) established a working group on AnGR. At the global level, 1980 is also the starting point, since the first expert consultation on AnGR was held in Rome with FAO. 1996-1997, the first discussions During the Vienna EAAP / FAO Meeting (1997) the National Coordinators came back to a discussion started in 1996 and expressed the need to establish a Regional Focal Point (RFP) for Europe. Nevertheless, the exact expectation of the National Coordinators (NCs) towards a Regional Focal Point had to be clarified. The NCs proposed that France with assistance of Poland perform jointly tasks of an "informal Regional Focal Point". 1998, the concept During the Warsaw EAAP / FAO Meeting (1998) it was necessary to admit the true exchange and communication network setting up between countries of Europe was done slowly and in accordance with the specific evolution rhythm of each country in the field of their own animal genetic resources management considerations. By this way, only, a more dynamic group of countries was able to facilitate this evolution and to pay for that. Then, the first RFP work was to facilitate all the exchanges … Links FAO Livestock and Genetic Resources European Association for Animal Production ERFP | about ERFP | History about ERFP Terms of Reference History News Steering Committee National Coordinators Meetings Projects Documents

4. © BLE 2010 Contact Dr. Frank Begemann Jörg Bremond Babette Balzer Terms of Reference for the European Regional Focal Point [Network] [Programme] for Animal Genetic Resources 1. Development of the European Regional Focal Point The European Regional Focal Point (ERFP) was initiated in 1998 and became formally operational in 2001 in response to FAO´s recommended global coordination structure for animal genetic resources which is based upon national and regional focal points. Over the years, the collaboration and coordination facilitated by the ERFP in Europe has developed successfully. There are now 40 countries involved. Experience gathered since the establishment of the ERFP lead to the preparation of new terms of reference for the organisation and long term planning in the form of a Multi Year Programme of Work (MYPOW) for the period 2010 to 2014. Since its establishment, ERFP has been funded through voluntary financial contributions made by donor countries. Voluntary additional financial contributions may also be made by donors for specific programmes or projects co-ordinated by the ERFP. The financial management is, carried out by the EAAP Secretariat in Rome. However under the MYPOW a new funding mechanism is being established, see point 5 below. The organisational core of ERFP consists of the Assembly of National Coordinators, Steering Committee (SC) and Secretariat. Working Groups consisting of NC’s or other experts in the member states are the most important tools in the activities coordinated by the ERFP. Some short-term work may be carried with Task Forces responding to very acute needs. The Assembly may also ask a named group to carry out a development project related to the needs of the common ERFP programme or the needs of the Secretariat as issues arise. The objectives of the ERFP are: To facilitate the in situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable use of AnGR in Europe. To facilitate the implementation of the Global Plan of Action for AnGR in Europe. … Links ERFP | about ERFP | Terms of Reference about ERFP Terms of Reference History News Steering Committee National Coordinators Meetings Projects Documents

5. © BLE 2010 Contact Dr. Frank Begemann Jörg Bremond Babette Balzer Steering Committee Chair Asko Maki-Tanila National Coordinator FINLAND Agrifood Research Finland Biotechnology and Food Research H2 Building FI-31600 Jokioinen Finland Tel: +358 (0) 3 418 86 01 Fax: +358 (0) 3 418 88 18 Email: Asko.Maki-Tanila[at]mtt.fi Secretariat Andreas Georgoudis National Coordinator GREECE Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Department of Animal Production GR-54124 Thessaloniki Greece Tel: +30 (0) 2 310 99 86 83 Fax: +30 (0) 2 310 99 87 19 Email: andgeorg[at]agro.auth.gr Members … Links ERFP | about ERFP | Steering Committee Terms of Reference about ERFP History News Steering Committee National Coordinators Meetings Projects Documents with Tel / Fax / email or these only in intranet ?

6. © BLE 2010 Contact Dr. Frank Begemann Jörg Bremond Babette Balzer Assembly of National Coordinators (alphabetical order by name of country) Kristaq Kume National Coordinator ALBANIA R. "Abdyl Frasheri" Pall. 3/3 Ap. 5 AL-Tirana Albania Tel: +355 (0) 42 414 03 Fax: +355 (0) 42 414 03 Email: kkume[at]abcom-al.com Beate Berger National Coordinator AUSTRIA Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt und Wasserwirtschaft Institut für biologische Landwirtschaft und Biodiversität Austrasse 10 A-4606 Wels-Thalheim Austria Tel: +43 (0) 7242 470 11 22 Fax: +43 (0) 7242 470 11 15 Email: beate.berger[at]bal.bmlfuw.gv.at, beate.berger[at]raumberg-gumpenstein.at Serge Massart National Coordinator BELGIUM Service public de Wallonie … Links ERFP | about ERFP | National Coordinators Terms of Reference about ERFP History News Steering Committee National Coordinators Meetings Projects Documents

7. © BLE 2010 Contact Dr. Frank Begemann Jörg Bremond Babette Balzer News from the European Regional Focal Point 28th May 2010 - Results of the 8th ERFP Call for Action Following the link you will find the announcement of the results of the 8th ERFP Call for Action. With this Call for Action, ERFP has funded in total 24 projects. Link to the information source 1st February 2010 - 8th ERFP Call for Action Following the link you will find this year's ERFP Call for Action. As it was decided in Barcelona, it is an Open Call. However, the submitted proposals should be reflective of the priority areas of the GPA and aim to initiate or re-enforce ongoing collabora-tive activities in the field of AnGR among groupings of National Co-ordinators in Europe aiming to enhance the impact of their work and to improve existing or introduce new tools for the management and conservation of AnGR. The deadline for proposals submission is the 25th of February! Link to the information source … Links ERFP | News News Archive about ERFP ERFP Newsletter News Meetings Projects Documents

8. © BLE 2010 Contact Dr. Frank Begemann Jörg Bremond Babette Balzer ERFP newsletter ERFP Newsletter 7 / 2009 ERFP Newsletter 6 / 2009 ERFP Newsletter 5 / 2008 ERFP Newsletter 4 / 2008 ERFP Newsletter 3 / 2008 ERFP Newsletter 2 / 2007 ERFP Newsletter 1 / 2007 Links ERFP | News | ERFP newsletter News Archive about ERFP ERFP Newsletter News Meetings Projects Documents

9. © BLE 2010 Contact Dr. Frank Begemann Jörg Bremond Babette Balzer ERFP Annual Meetings Workshops for European National Coordinators for Animal Genetic Resources have been organised by ERFP since 2001 as a satellite event to the annual meeting of the European Association for Animal Production. During the 2-day-meetings actions developed in the past year by the different European countries and by the ERFP, projects and the allocation of funds are discussed. Links ERFP | Meetings | ERFP Annual Meetings Meetings AnGR about ERFP ERFP Annual Meetings News Meetings Projects Documents Barcelona 2009 Vilnius 2008 Dublin 2007...

10. © BLE 2010 Contact Dr. Frank Begemann Jörg Bremond Babette Balzer ERFP Call for Action 8th ERFP Call for Action 2010 Following the 15th ERFP Annual Workshop decisions (Barcelona, August 2009), the ERFP secretariat launched the 8th Call for Action including five thematic topics. 1. Coordination of the actions of different stakeholders for the management of AnGR (governmental /research/breeders association/NGOs) 2. Identification of various threats for indigenous breeds (genetic, diseases, political, social, economical, etc.) 3. Breeds characterization and taxonomy 4. Exploitation / utilization of local breeds for the production of local products - Economical evaluation of breeds 5. Sustainable breeding programs The total amount foreseen by the Annual Workshop for the Call for Action was € 50,000. In this Call for Action, ERFP received 3 project proposals, which after evaluation have been approved for funding: 1. Evaluation of Current Status of Busha Cattle and develop a regional breeding program for their conservation and sustainable economic use project co-ordinator: Kristaq Kume, NC Albania budget: € 17,000 2. Seminar: Conservation and use of farm animal genetic resources: challenges in practice project co-ordinator: S.J. Hiemstra, NC Netherlands budget: € 17,000 3. Development of models assessing the breeds risk status by utilization of population and relevant georeferenced data project co-ordinator: Andreas Georgoudis, NC Greece budget: € 16,000 … Links ERFP | Projects | ERFP Call for Action about ERFP ERFP Call for Action News Projects Meetings European AnGR Projects Documents

11. © BLE 2010 Contact Dr. Frank Begemann Jörg Bremond Babette Balzer Country Reports Please follow the menu to read the annual reports from the ERFP countries. Albania Austria Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France FYR of Macedonia Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel Italy … Links ERFP | Documents| Country Reports about ERFP Country Reports News Projects Meetings Reports Documents...