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The European Commission for the control of Foot-and-Mouth disease (EU-FMD)

The European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EU-FMD), one of FAO’s oldest Commissions, was established in 1954 to coordinate foot-and-mouth disease control within Europe at a time when the disease was ravaging the continent. Foot-and-mouth disease does not affect humans, but it is highly contagious among cattle, buffalo, sheep and pigs and can seriously reduce milk and meat production, and the trade bans that result after outbreaks seriously affect national agricultural economies of exporting nations. EU-FMD is a regional body specialized in supporting member countries (currently 34) in the European region to prevent FMD, through actions co-ordinated with those of the European Union through the DG-SANCO of the European Commission (EC). Its Secretariat is located at FAO headquarters. Acting as a special observatory for FMD in the world, the Commission facilitates information gathering and sharing to improve design of preventive measures, and the exchange of information and expertise between countries. It implements projects in the Caucasus, Turkey and Iran aimed at improving FMD control and thereby reducing risk to south-east Europe, and supports improved FMD surveillance in a number of endemic countries on a risk basis. EU-FMD carries out its activities in close collaboration with the EC and with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). In the event of FMD emergencies, the Commission’s rapid response mechanism supports national governments with targeted short-term interventions, such as the provision of vaccines, diagnostic reagents and technical expertise. To assist in the above, The Commission has an Executive Committee from 8 European member countries, a Technical Committee of 12, and supports a specialised reference laboratory (World Reference Laboratory for FMD) based in the United Kingdom.