On Monday 27 January, the Agriculture Ministers of the EU countries emphasized the need for good cooperation to continue the fight against the spread of African swine fever.
Stella Kyriakides, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, noted that surveillance needs to be intensified following the discovery of recent cases in Western Poland.
Latvia has protested against the reduction of funds in 2020 for the monitoring of African swine fever in wild boar populations.
Germany is not yet affected, but has detected cases 12 kilometres from its border, the German Minister noted. Poland is putting in place measures to stop the spread of African swine fever.
Belgium has protested against the embargoes imposed by certain non-Member States on pig meat from EU countries that are free of the disease and has asked the European Commission to work towards international recognition of the principle of regionalization and zoning.
France is unharmed, but “we are at war”, the French Minister said.
There is no reduction in EU funding to fight this outbreak, Mrs Kyriakides assured, adding that the Commission is working bilaterally to have the principle of regionalization recognized. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)