Report of EFSA Scientific Network for Risk Assessment in Animal Health and Welfare (2015-2017)

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Published on: Thu, 01 Feb 2018 00:00:00 +0100

In accordance with EFSA’s strategy for cooperation and networking with Member States and the Management Board Decision concerning the establishment and operation of European Networks of scientific organisations operating in the fields within the Authority’s mission, a Network for Risk Assessment in Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) is active from 2010. Two meetings per year were organised by EFSA’s AHAW team in the period 2015-2017 for the Network. Meetings are organised so to target discussions on animal health or animal welfare. Topics for discussion during the meetings focus on i) updates on major current activities, namely in-depths presentations and discussions on RA methodological approaches and practices, with eventual participation of guest speakers invited to present the methodological approach or to provide additional information and explanations; ii) requests for information from other AHAW Network members and EFSA, namely specific topics presented by MS representatives aimed at information and experience exchange with the other MSs (e.g. in case of a disease outbreak); iii) short updates on topics presented either by EFSA or by AHAW Network members to present current activities that might be relevant for others. In few cases, practical exercises were organised to collect and discuss specific topics. For future collaboration, options for data collection and sharing, communication channels and potential for more topic specific meetings and discussions were deemed important. In addition to the Network for Risk Assessment in Animal Health and Welfare, specific Network meetings were established, such as the Network of National Contact Points established under Art 20 of Council Regulation (EC) 1099/2009, Echinococcus multilocularis infection in animals and porcine epidemic diarrhoea.