Main objectives

The main objectives of the veterinary component are to increase livestock production by controlling animal diseases and thereby raising rural incomes, to reduce the risk of human infection by diseases originating from animals and to move towards EU standards for veterinary and food quality controls. The main objectives of the plant protection component are to increase plant and crop production by controlling the spread of the common pests and diseases of plants and thereby assisting rural development and to move towards EU standards for controlling plant and crop diseases.

Specific objectives

In the veterinary sector the state and private veterinary services will be strengthened by:

• Improving the ability of the veterinary inspection service to rapidly diagnose and control animal diseases
  
• upgrading the diagnostic laboratory facilities
  
• supporting the training of professional, scientific and technical staff
  
• providing initial support for the privatisation of the veterinary services
  
• identifying additional projects in the veterinary sector which require additional support
  

In the plant protection sector the ability to control and prevent the spread of pests and diseases will be strengthened by:

• upgrading the ability of the Plant Protection Department to rapidly diagnose and control diseases and pests of crops and plants
  
• supporting the training of professional, scientific and technical staff
  
• providing scientific equipment for laboratory diagnostic work
  

Duration of the project The project started in October 2004 and will continue until the beginning of March 2005. The European Agency for Reconstruction is supporting the project by providing funds to finance long and short-term visits by international veterinary and plant protection experts, the activities of local veterinary and plant protection experts and the provision of funds for the purchase of computers, laboratory equipment and training materials.

Expected results of the project The project will increase the ability of the veterinary and plant protection services to combat diseases of animals and the pests and diseases of plants and crops. This will enable farmers to produce healthier animals, meat and milk, crops and plants and to increase their income. The improved quality of food will reduce the risk of human infection by diseases of animal origin. Improved quality of livestock, food of animal origin and plants and crops will also increase the opportunities for export. The project will also advance the standards of livestock, plant and crop production in Montenegro towards meeting those of the EU.

Implementation The European Agency for Reconstruction has on behalf of the EU awarded a contract to a consortium led by Agri-Livestock Consultants Ltd, Amsterdam. The consortium includes The Netherlands Institute of Animal Science & Health and Agristudio s.r.l., Italy. The Project Partner is the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, and the project will be based initially in the Biotechnical Institute.

For further information please contact:

Alex Donaldson, Agri-Livestock Consultants Ltd, Amsterdam, tel./fax:++381 81 206 086 ; tel.: ++44 1483 567 385; fax: ++44 7729 405 978, E-mail:alc@cg.yu; DonaldsonA@aol.com

or

Dejan Lausevic, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water management tel.: ++381 81 482 270, fax.: ++381 81 234 306, E-mail: dejanl@mn.yu

or

Dragan Mugosa, European Agency for Reconstruction, Podgorica, tel.: ++381 81 406 600, fax.: ++381 81 231 742, E-mail: dragan.mugosa@ear.eu.int

EU Compatible Animal ID System in Serbia

Press release 14 Jan 2004

Ear Tags mean better cattle in Serbia, and improved public health.

Cattle throughout Serbia are to have unique ear tags applied over the coming two years as part of a pioneering European Union-funded project run by ALC.

Teams of specially trained veterinarians will visit each farm where there are cattle, to apply two newly designed tags to each animal.

The tag is like a car number plate and carries a unique number which identifies the animal and its origin. Coupled with this, each animal will be issued with its own 'passport' which records its ownership. Only ear tagged cattle will be eligible for subsidies or allowed to be sold in markets or slaughtered.

When a farmer comes to sell his cow, he applies for a special animal movement certificate which shows the veterinary attention it has had. This allows the buyer to see at once what injections and treatments it has had in the past, rather than just taking the seller's word for it. Also if an animal is lost or stolen, the tag will be a valuable aid in reuniting it with its owner.

By law, all animals will have to be tagged and the information about the animal will be recorded on a central database. This will help the veterinary service control and eradicate diseases and also mean that they can react faster and more effectively should an outbreak of cattle sickness occur. There is the added advantage in tracing the relevant animals should there be a public health hazard.

A special communications campaign is being organised to ensure that all farmers, veterinarians and others involved in cattle production, are fully informed of the project and the benefits to Serbia. The Project Team Leader, Bulgarian veterinarian Dr Yanko Ivanov, says: "It is gratifying to see the interest and enthusiasm for the ear tagging project. The message is clearly getting across that, in order to meet European standards, identification, registration and documentation like this is essential."

The project, funded by the EU and managed by the European Agency for Reconstruction, calls for a pilot phase to test procedures and reaction from farmers. Once this is successfully achieved, it is the government's intention to roll the scheme out across the country in the middle of next year.

Press release

In the beginning of this year the Lithuanian/Dutch bilateral project “Institutional Strengthening of the National Veterinary Diagnostic Services” was started. The project is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs through the PSO Pre Accession Program. This program is managed by the project executing agency Senter International, based in The Hague, the Netherlands. The present Senter project PPA0/LT/9/1 has a budget of 431.000 euros. All bilateral Pre Accession Programs aim to assist the Central and Eastern European Countries in meeting the criteria for membership of the European Union.

The project contractor is a consortium of two Dutch companies: Agri-Livestock Consultants Ltd in Amsterdam and Vrian B.V. in Bathmen. The consortium is supported by the major veterinary institutes in the Netherlands: the Institute of Animal Science and Health “ID-Lelystad” and the National Animal Health Service, based in Deventer. The project implementation period runs to the end of 2003.

The specific purpose of the project is to strengthen the institutional structures of the veterinary diagnostic services in Lithuania, aiming to improve the monitoring, surveillance, eradication and prevention of (infectious) animal diseases, in conformity with European Union Legislation. The Lithuanian counterpart of Senter is the State Food and Veterinary Service, the beneficiary of the project is the National Veterinary Laboratory. To obtain its purpose, the project should achieve the following five results:

1. State Food and Veterinary Service strengthened in its organisational and functional capacity, including an optimised mutual co-operation with and between subordinate institutions;

2. Veterinary laboratories strengthened in the area of diagnostic laboratory activities in accordance with related EU legislation;

3. A definition plan for a veterinary surveillance network (VSN), including interfaces with other relevant systems;

4. The National Veterinary Laboratory appointed for co-operation and/or certain reference tasks for the Baltic states and prepared for the ISO/IEC 17025-accreditation for this/ these tasks

5. Contacts with similar Netherlands institutions expanded, with the aim to exchange information about the experience of the Netherlands with diagnostic activities in accordance with EU requirements, and to set up sustainable co-operation.

The project activities include continuous specialist advice in the different areas, several workshops as well as study visits in both countries and advanced laboratory training for Lithuanian specialists in the Netherlands. The budget also covers the purchase of some specialised laboratory equipment.

The project takes into account the recommendations of related previous projects and future activities of expected projects. The results are expected to be of great help for the State Food and Veterinary Service and the National Veterinary Laboratory to achieve their policy of meeting all EU demands in their respective fields of work.