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Article 25 of the European Union Animal Health Law, Regulation 2016/429 requires operators to make sure that establishments receive animal health visits from a veterinarian.
These ‘animal health visits’ shall be implemented in all EU countries by April 2021 and aim to strengthen animal health by improving disease prevention, in particular biosecurity and detection of disease. To date, no Act lays down the minimum requirements necessary for the uniform application of Article 25. The Federation of Veterinarias of Europe (FVE) says that without these supporting Acts, the Article is in serious danger of being implemented inconsistently or insufficiently in the Member States.
Regular veterinary visits have great potential to improve animal welfare and economic efficiency, as well as to reduce use of antibiotics and enhance sustainability. This is shown in countries that already implement regular health visits.
FVE calls upon EU and national policymakers to implement these guidelines and as such, to ensure that these animal health visits reach their full potential of being a practical and meaningful tool adding value to farmers, veterinarians, consumers and society alike.
January 19, 2021/ Federation of Veterinarians of Europe/ European Union.
https://fve.org/
