Brussels, 14/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Union has earmarked €250 million to support programmes to eradicate, control and monitor animal diseases in 2011. The 138 annual or multi-annual programmes, selected by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (which is made up of veterinary experts from the member states) on 12 October for EU funding, will tackle animal diseases that impact both human and animal health.
€135 million will go to programmes to eradicate 8 important animal diseases, including rabies (€24 million has been allocated for rabies eradication in 12 member states), brucellosis and tuberculosis (€16 million to Ireland, €23 million to the UK, €7.5 million to Italy and €15 million for Spain).
Avian influenza (bird flu) and zoonotics such as salmonella (€23 million allocated) will also be monitored. Tackling transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and scrapie is still very much the order of the day with €86 million being allocated for this purpose. (L.C./transl.rt)