1. The role of the OIE in a safe and fair trade
Dr. Alex Thiermann
President, Terrestrial Animal Health Code Commission
World Organisation for Animal Health
The role of the OIE
in a safe and fair trade
WTO Public Forum 2006
Geneva, CH, September 2006

2. World Organisation for Animal Health
an intergovernmental organisation
founded in 1924 by 28 countries
predates the U.N.
World Organisation for Animal Health
Organisation mondiale de la santé animale
Organizacion Mundial de Sanidad Animal
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Common name adopted by the International Committee on May 2003

3. Americas: 29 – Africa: 50 – Europe: 49 – Middle East: 13 – Asia: 26
167 Member Countries (May 2006)
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In May 2004, the OIE totaled 167 Member Countries.
En mai 2004, l’OIE comptait 167 Pays Membres.
Americas: 29 – Africa: 50 – Europe: 49 – Middle East: 13 – Asia: 26

4. Why an SPS Agreement? Removal of non-tariff barriers to trade
GATT article XX(b)
need for clearer rules
Concentrate on health measures
Provide rights and obligations

5. Standard-setting organisations
food safety
CODEX
animal health OIE
plant health IPPC
Codex = Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission
OIE = World Organisation for Animal Health
IPPC = International Plant Protection Convention (FAO)

6. OIE Objectives
To ensure accurate collection and transparency in reporting the animal health situation throughout the world.
Under the WTO-SPS Agreement mandate, establish standards on animal health and zoonoses for international trade in animals and animal products.
To collect, analyse and disseminate scientific veterinary information.
To provide technical expertise and encourage international solidarity in the control and eradication of animal diseases.
To improve the competencies and legal framework of Veterinary Services.
To develop guiding principles and specific recommendations for animal welfare

7. development and updating international standards
COMMITTEE, COMMISSIONS, DELEGATES
PROBLEM
Specialist
Commissions
development and updating international standards
Review
Advice of experts or other Specialist Commissions
Draft text 1 2
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DELEGATES
COMMITTEE
OIE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
Adoption

8. Direct costs of participation
delegates from 145/167 OIE Member Countries attended 2006 General Session
registration fees waived and daily expenses paid
experts participating in OIE Specialist Commissions, working groups and expert groups have their fares and expenses paid
EC has made available 100,000 Euros to assist participation of experts from developing countries in standards development

9. Terrestrial Animal Health Code
Provides detailed recommendations of sanitary measures to be used by Chief Veterinary Officers of Member Countries in establishing regulations applying to the safe trade of animals and animal products, while avoiding unjustified restrictions
Contains recommendations covering ruminants, swine, equidae, rabbits, bees, poultry, dogs and cats
In five languages: English, French, Spanish and Russian (Arabic version recently released)

10. Evolution of OIE standards
Need to go from freedom status to risk-based
Emphasis on safety of the commodity
Essential role of epidemiological surveillance
Strength of laboratory network
Close link of surveillance to risk assessment
Maximize stakeholder participation

11. Zoning and Compartmentalization
Regionalization: geographical ‘zoning’
Compartmentalization: ‘zoning’ on the basis of biosecurity in animal production systems
Role of wildlife in zoning and regionalization
Role of private and public sector

12. Compartment Equipment BREEDING FLOCK FEED SUPPLY Feed Equipment
Birds
Feed
Feed
Equipment
GROWING
FLOCK
Equipment
Birds
Birds
Equipment
Birds
SLAUGHTER
HOUSE
GROWING
FLOCK
Equipment

13. Influences on standards
pressure from exporting countries for less restrictions
pressure from importing countries for maximum protection
consumer and NGO reactions
pressure from developing countries for assistance in participating in the process

14. Importance of adherence to OIE standards
Safe trade, based on scientific risk analysis
Commodity specific risk mitigation measures
Provides credibility to the Veterinary Services
Consistency of message to consumers
Demonstrate ability to detect emerging diseases

15. International standards, conclusions
National authorities and their stakeholders must become more involved in the OIE standard setting process
Authorities must implement the adopted OIE standards in their national regulations
Often national industry interests and short sighted politics interfere in the implementation of science based regulations
Global organizations and corporations can play a key role in the implementation of standards at national levels, as well as in the harmonization of animal health and safety of food rules

16. Animal Welfare, current reality
Globalization is becoming a force that is revolutionizing international trade
The WTO recognizes the OIE as the standard-setting organization for animal health
There is an important link between animal health and animal welfare
However, there is no specific mention of animal welfare in the WTO agreements

17. Animal Welfare guidelines
Current guidelines:
Sea transport
Land transport
Slaughter
Killing for disease control
On-going work:
Fish transport and slaughter
Urban dog control
Laboratory animals

18. Animal Welfare predictions!
Animal welfare will increase in importance as a consumer demand and therefore international trade
Acceptance and enforcement of animal welfare guidelines in international trade will be slow
Animal welfare guidelines will be slowly incorporated through positive labeling
The welfare in traditional farming can easily become a competitive advantage to developing countries

19. Emerging Zoonosis
An emerging zoonosis is a zoonosis that is newly recognized or newly evolved, or that has occurred previously but shows an increase in incidence or expansion in a geographic, host, or vector range.
Some of these diseases may further evolve and become effectively and essentially transmissible from human to human.

20. Emerging Infectious Diseases Wildlife EID Domestic Animal EID
Translocation
Encroachment
Introduction
“Spill over” &
“Spill back”
Human encroachment
Ex situ contact
Ecological manipulation
Wildlife EID
Domestic
Animal EID
Human EID
Global travel
Urbanization
Biomedical
manipulation
Agricultural
Intensification
Technology and
Industry
Dasazak P. et.al.
Science :443

21. Specific Challenges for Emerging and Re-Emerging Zoonoses
Improving the global capacity for response
Improving early warning and surveillance systems using innovative technologies
Improving disease reporting
Improving diagnostics

22. Conclusions The era of emerging zoonoses will continue and expand.
The factors and driving forces producing this era show no sign of abatement.
Local emerging diseases quickly become global.
The significance and implications of emerging zoonoses are rapidly increasing in scope, scale, and importance.
The convergence of human and animal health offers both important challenges and opportunities.

23. Strengthening veterinary services
OIE considers Veterinary Services to be a Global Public Good
their coming into line with international standards is a public investment priority
structure, organisation, resources, capacities, role of the private sector and para-professionals
2001 World Bank/OIE MOU supports this view

24. STDF
global programme in capacity building and technical assistance for developing countries
strategic aim is to assist countries to enhance their expertise and capacity to analyse and implement international SPS standards
improving their human, animal and plant health situations
improving ability to gain and maintain markets
direct response to the demand to tailor technical assistance to countries’ needs
not to merely provide 'generic' assistance

25. STDF 3 OIE STDF projects to date Train the trainers
Tool for evaluation of veterinary services
Strengthening veterinary services in Africa (ALive)

26. Train the trainers
to train a cadre of professionals capable of providing continuing training to private and public sectors
adapted to the conditions, cultures and languages of each region
for enhanced implementation of the SPS Agreement

27. Train the trainers training covers:
SPS Agreement including dispute settlement mechanisms, and the roles of the 3 sisters
OIE standards, and its standard setting and implementation process
OIE animal health information system
animal production food safety and collaboration with Codex
animal health risk analysis with practical examples tailored to the region
evaluation of veterinary services

28. Train the trainers
training will be adapted to animal health issues of greatest interest in each region
initially, workshops will be attached to ‘traditional’ WTO SPS workshops
aim to attract and prepare experts who are assigned at the national level to promote activities within OIE’s mandate
pilot workshops have developed training DVD to be used as base material (Bamako, Bangkok, Cairo, Vienna, Colombia)

29. Strengthening Vet Services in Africa
ALive (African Livestock), a World Bank initiative focused on livestock in Africa, aims to map existing programs and fill gaps between them, and initiate others
focused on poverty reduction, economic growth, research, regional and international market access, and sustainable institutions including Veterinary Services
reinforces OIE’s involvement in promoting animal health, both for poverty alleviation and for the safe conduct of international trade in animals and animal products

30. Strengthening Vet Services in Africa
the livestock sector in developing countries requires greater financial and operational challenges than other agricultural sectors
developed countries have a strong incentive to help control developing countries’ livestock diseases because of the likelihood of these diseases spreading internationally
OIE is examining the use of ALive in all Regions facing similar concerns

31. Building a scientific community through twinning arrangements
several twinning arrangements are in place between OIE reference laboratories
role of the OIE as coordinator/catalyst in these arrangements
selection of priorities
selection of relevant laboratories
mediator/facilitator in discussions
evaluation of outputs
use of funds
exchange of scientists
organisation of workshops

32. Regional Representations
strengthening the OIE Regional Representations
implementation of capacity building programmes tailored to each Region
direct input into OIE Headquarters’ activities
focuse on assisting new OIE Delegates

33. http://www.oie.int World organisation for animal health
Organisation mondiale de la santé animale
Organizacion Mundial de Sanidad Animal
12 rue de Prony
75017 Paris, France
Tel: + 33 (0) – Fax: + 33 (0)
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