"Animal Health Law" has been released

The final rule on Animal Health, adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on the Commission's proposal, was published in the Official Journal on 31 March 2016.

"Animal Health Law", that comes into force on the 20 April and will be applicable in 5 years, paves the way for a more efficient system to combat transmissible animal diseases.

Overall, the single, comprehensive new animal health law will support the EU livestock sector in its quest towards competitiveness and safe and smooth EU market of animals and of their products, leading to growth and jobs in this important sector:

• The huge number of legal acts are streamlined into a single law

• Simpler and clearer rules enable authorities and those having to follow the rules to focus on key priorities: preventing and eradicating disease

• Responsibilities are clarified for farmers, vets and others dealing with animals

• The new rules allow greater use of new technologies for animal health activities - surveillance of pathogens, electronic identification and registration of animals

• Better early detection & control of animal diseases, including emerging diseases linked to climate change, will help to reduce the occurrence and effects of animal epidemics

• There will be more flexibility to adjust rules to local circumstances, and to emerging issues such as climate and social change

• It sets out a better legal basis for monitoring animal pathogens resistant to antimicrobial agents supplementing existing rules and two other proposals currently being negotiated in the European Parliament and Council, on veterinary medicines and on medicated feed

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health ("Animal Health Law") (1,4Mb)