On 30 June, the French and Italian agriculture ministers, Marc Fesneau and Francesco Lollobrigida respectively, announced the creation of a ‘technical contact group on African swine fever’.
The two EU Member States intend to simplify information exchanges and harmonise surveillance methods to combat the spread of the disease.
According to a press release by the French Ministry of Agriculture, the group brings together experts in animal health, wildlife and hunting at regional and national level in both countries.
On 22 May, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) pointed out that the number of epidemic outbreaks in pigs and the number of cases reported in wild boar in the EU had “decreased considerably in 2022, compared to the previous year”. It identified outbreaks in eight EU countries (Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia). Romania accounted for 87% of all outbreaks in the EU.
The arrival of African swine fever in France could have an impact on the pork market (slaughtering, market closures, etc.). The industry and the French government have already anticipated what to do in the event of an outbreak.
Italy has 706 outbreaks in wildlife and two on farms (since 1 July 2022). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)