The European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD)

The European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease

The European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD), one of FAO’s oldest Commissions, came into being on the 12th June 1954, with the pledge of the sixth founding Member Nations to the principles of a coordinated and common action against foot-and-mouth disease at a time when the disease was ravaging the continent.

The EuFMD delivers an extensive programme of activities, supporting foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) emergency preparedness, response, and control, in its 39 Member Nations and additionally in 20 priority European neighbourhood countries. 

It is a specialized regional commission with its primary mandate being to advise, coordinate and support the activities of its Member Nations in the control of foot-and-mouth disease. EuFMD member nations have agreed a Constitution, Rules of Procedure, and Financial Regulations which provide the Commission with its mandate and defines its structures, governance, means of funding and modus operandi. 

EuFMD has evolved over the 70 years since it was established to meet changing circumstances across the continent and the changing needs of an ever-increasing membership. Read more about the history of the Commission.

The prevention and control of FMD remain the core focus objective of the Commission.

The Move FAST – Get Prepared strategy 2023–2027 has three Focus Objectives (FO) under which seven priority Action Areas (AA) are implemented to ensure a safer Europe from the daily threat of FAST diseases.