The Commission adopted on September 11th, the Decision 2008/739/EC, concerning a financial contribution by the Community towards the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for actions in the area of animal disease information. This support implies a total financial contribution up to a maximum amount of 1 M€ for the period 2008-2012.

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) is a representative intergovernmental organisation responsible for improving animal health worldwide. In the field of disease information, OIE has the unique experience of developing the World Animal Health Information Database (WAHID), an interface that provides for a comprehensive range of information on animal diseases. WAHID is used by all OIE member countries, including all Member States of the European Union.

For the development of Community veterinary legislation, it is therefore appropriate to establish actions in partnership with the OIE, with a view to aligning the Community system for the notification of animal diseases with the WAHID, gathering epidemiological information and in particular designing the data sets, databases and protocols for exchange of data.

The OIE has also developed a Tool for the Evaluation of Performance of Veterinary Services (OIE PVS Tool). That tool is designed to assist veterinary services of countries which are members of OIE to establish their current level of performance and to identify gaps and weaknesses regarding their ability to comply with OIE international standards. The OIE PVS Tool also generates information on animal health in OIE member countries.

The Community should therefore analyse the activities and information generated by that tool with regard to the Balkans, the Caucasus and the Mediterranean areas.

The Community financial contribution will be structured in the following areas:

• Up to a maximum amount of 750,000 €, for the financing of the development of the animal disease information system.
• Up to a maximum amount of 250,000 € for the financing of the analysis of the animal health activities in the Balkans, the Caucasus and the Mediterranean areas.

These financial contributions have been awarded for the period from 2008 to 2012, and will be financed through the budget line 17 04 02 01 of the budget of the European Communities for 2008.