ANAFRIC attended the Animal Health Law (AHL) Conference in Brussels, organized by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE). This meeting brought together policymakers, scientific experts, representatives from the livestock sector, and European organizations to assess the implementation of the legislation and define the next steps in EU animal health policy.
The association was represented by Rosa Solanes, ANAFRIC’s delegate in Brussels. Her presence at these European forums allows her to directly convey the concerns of the Spanish meat sector and gain firsthand knowledge of the evolution of European regulations from experts in the field.
Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General of DG SANTE, European Commission.
Key legislation for the future of the sector
The opening remarks were delivered by the European Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, who emphasized that the Animal Health Act has harmonized existing regulations across Member States through a common, risk-based framework that is more flexible and better prepared to respond to outbreaks of animal diseases.
Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare.
The Commissioner also stressed that the legislation is based on scientific criteria and offers greater capacity for prevention and response to the health challenges currently facing European livestock farming.
During the conference, the official evaluation of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, published by the European Commission on July 6, was also presented. Its conclusions confirm that the current Animal Health Act constitutes a robust, modern, and risk-based framework, suitable for achieving its objectives. However, the report identifies opportunities to further strengthen aspects such as prevention, preparedness for future health crises, administrative simplification, and the system’s resilience to new challenges.
More prevention, science, and new technologies
One of the most repeated messages during the day was the need to strengthen prevention in the face of the increase in animal diseases, many of which are exacerbated by climate change.
In this regard, Éric Sargiacomo, Vice-President of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized that animal diseases know no borders and advocated for placing preventive vaccination at the heart of future European strategies.
French MEP Eric Sargiacomo, Vice-President of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.
For their part, representatives of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) stressed the importance of having reliable data to improve epidemiological surveillance and called for greater investment in biosecurity. They also pointed out that tools such as Artificial Intelligence can become a key element in improving prevention, optimizing health management, and increasing the efficiency of livestock farms.
The sector’s perspective
Among the most practical interventions was that of Miguel Ángel Higuera, president of the COPA-COGECA Animal Health and Welfare Working Group, who emphasized that future European policies on animal health must consider not only health aspects, but also the sector’s competitiveness, consumer confidence, farm profitability, and environmental sustainability.
Higuera also advocated for a sufficiently ambitious European Veterinary Fund to ensure that the health challenges of the coming years are met effectively and that legislation is implemented in all member states.
Miguel Ángel Higuera, president of the COPA-COGECA Animal Health and Welfare Working Group. Photo: COPA-COGECA.
ANAFRIC, present where the future of the sector is decided
ANAFRIC’s participation in these types of meetings is part of the ongoing work the association carries out in Brussels to represent the interests of the Spanish meat sector before European institutions.
Through its delegation in Brussels, ANAFRIC continuously monitors legislative initiatives affecting the meat sector, conveying the sector’s position and anticipating regulatory changes that may impact the activities of Spanish companies.
