site.btaBulgarian Agriculture Minister Takes Part in Ministerial Conference on Animal Health in Brussels

Bulgaria’s Agriculture and Food Minister Kiril Vatev took part in a ministerial conference on animal health in Brussels, his Ministry said on Wednesday. The event was organized under the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union and hosted by Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Self-Employed, SMEs and Agriculture, Institutional Reforms and Democratic Renewal, David Clarinval.

The event was attended by ministers, heads of veterinary services of countries inside and outside Europe, representatives of the European Commission, international organizations, experts, and key stakeholders.

Participants highlighted the importance of a preventive approach based on biosecurity and vaccination as tools in the fight against animal diseases. Particular attention was paid to two diseases that cause significant economic losses to the pig and poultry industries globally, namely African swine fever and highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Recent data on the widespread prevalence of both diseases was presented. This was followed by a discussion on disease control perspectives in the framework of recent updates to European legislation.