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EU/NZ Animal Welfare Relationship Further Strengthened
Over the last 12 years, the European Commission and New Zealand have developed an important collaborative relationship on animal welfare policy, working together in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and bilaterally. Both the European Commission and New Zealand have outcome-focused and scientifically-based domestic animal welfare systems that are highly-regarded internationally.
A 2006 New Zealand proposal to establish the EC/New Zealand Animal Welfare Cooperation Forum, to formalise and improve information exchange on key animal welfare matters, was a natural extension of this historical relationship. The Forum is very much an “equal partner/mutual benefit” arrangement.
The scope of the Cooperation Forum includes animal welfare matters of operational and strategic importance to the Commission and New Zealand, including: production animals; companion animals; animals used in research, testing and teaching; vertebrate pest control; animals used in entertainment; and other areas as jointly decided.
The Cooperation Forum allows for information exchange in the following areas: strategic issues and trends; OIE issues and involvement; the EU Five Year Action Plan and future new EU strategy on Animal Welfare; the proposed European Network of Reference Centres on Animal Welfare; the New Zealand/Australia OIE Collaborating Centre on Animal Welfare Science and Bioethical Analysis; issues concerning non-governmental animal welfare organisations; and domestic policy issues. Opportunities for cooperation are explored in a range of areas, including research priorities; collaborative research opportunities; reciprocal staff visits; and staff secondment opportunities.
The first meeting of the Forum was held in Paris on 4 September 2007. The meeting participants included staff from MAF Biosecurity NZ, New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) and, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), along with representatives from the European Commission. Videoconferencing was used to link Wellington-based participants. Subsequent meetings have been held in Brussels in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and have proved extremely valuable in consolidating, and further developing the EC/NZ relationship.
Fourth Meeting to the EC-NZ Co-Operation Forum
Susanna Louhimies – DG Environment, Andrea Gavinelli - DG SANCO, Maria Ferrara - DG SANCO, David Bayvel - MAFNZ, Agneta Norgren – DG SANCO, Judit Krommer - DG SANCO and Brian Astridge – MFAT NZ
earlier meeting
this page updated
November 16, 2010
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