Minutes of the 5th Executive Board Meeting of the European Technology Platform for Global Animal Health Thursday 16 February 2006

 

 

Attendance

 

Present:   Members: IFAH-Europe / Declan O’BRIEN (Chair) BBSRC / Paul-Pierre PASTORET COPA COGECA / Paul DE WINTER OIE / Christianne BRUSCHKE VMD-HMA / Steve DEAN     Apologies: FVE / Jan VAARTEN Universidad Complutense, Madrid / J.M. SANCHEZ-VISCAINO

Invited: DG R / Isabel MINGUEZ-TUDELA IFAH-Europe / Jim SCUDAMORE (Adviser) IFAH-Europe / Mireille CHATON-SCHAFFNER (Secretariat support) IFAH-Europe / Hervé MARION (Secretariat support)

 

AGENDA

 

Session 1: Adoption of the minutes/actions of the 4^th EB teleconference meeting

Session 2: Matters arising

Session 3: Debriefing on the stakeholders meeting (15 February 2006)

Session 4: Implementation of the SRA

Session 5: Special meeting with other Interested Parties

Session 6: Endorsement of the SRA by the Steering Council

Session 7: AOB

Session 8: Next meetings

The agenda was adopted.

 

Discussion

 

The chairman, D. O’Brien, Managing Director of IFAH-Europe, opened the meeting by welcoming participants.

 

Session 1: Adoption of the minutes/actions of the 4^th EB teleconference meeting

The participants reviewed and discussed the minuted actions. The minutes were approved without change.

 

Session 2: Matters arising

a) Presentation of SRA to Commissioner

With regard to the planned presentation of the SRA to the European Commission, I. Minguez-Tudela requested clarification on the planned format of the meeting. The EB confirmed that 4 to 5 members of the EB had the intention to present the document to the Commissioner. Some suggestions for the format of the event would follow.

 

b) Meeting with VSF and GALV

D. O’Brien reported that at the Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF) and Global Alliance for Livestock Vaccines (GALV) meeting on last 8 February, it was suggested that GALV could interact with the ETPGAH . The EB agreed to keep the communication channel with GALV open.

 

Session 3: Debriefing on the stakeholders meeting (15 February 2006)

D. O’Brien applauded the very positive feedback received from the Stakeholders during the meeting: a broad agreement on the SRA was obtained.

 

P.-P. Pastoret raised the three following items for discussion by the EB:

-Infrastructures: there is a need in Europe for large animals facilities adapted for challenge studies. He suggested initiating an inventory of the existing facilities with their categorization and their potential use.

After discussion it was agreed that the SRA should mention: “the need for suitable facilities” (p 35-36).

 

-Request to include “inflammation” and “BRDC” in the list of priority diseases.

After discussion, the EB agreed that Inflammation is included in host/pathogen interaction discussion and that BRDC is currently not regarded as a top priority. With the development of the prioritization tool, BRDC may be regarded as a top priority.  Via this mechanism, the request will be addressed.

 

-Request from the EMEA concerning the MUMS issue.

After discussion, the EB recognised that it is mentioned in different places along the document. S. Dean agreed to ask K.Grein at the HEVRA/EMEA meeting next week if the issue is adequately addressed.

 

I. Minguez-Tudela recommended to obtain the support of DG Enterprise on Chapter 6 (Regulation) of the SRA. S. Dean will discuss this matter with Mr Martin Terberger in order to obtain support. S. Dean will forward his comments on these two points to J. Scudamore within the next 2 weeks.

The EB agreed to add a recommendation on MUMS in case this was a formal wish from the EMEA.

 

The EB discussed the following comments introducing further changes to the document

-In the regulatory recommendation a link with the Community Animal Health Policy will be added;

-Education to be included in recommendation 17 under Fundamental Research;

-Change of the wording on GLP in ‘Appropriate quality standard ‘(21-22-23 and title);

-Diagnostics: the concerned Stakeholders should send their comments/proposals within 2 weeks.

 

The EB agreed to add the following two recommendations in the chapter on regulatory issues:

“To set up a common system across Europe to validate tests into a format “fit for purpose””

“To set up a mechanism of reference materials to be available for use in developing diagnostic tests“

 

Recommendation 51 will be deleted.

Session 4: Implementation of the SRA

D. O’Brien reported that during the meeting with DG Research on last 30 January, Mr Landabaso had recommended creating a working group on finance. He had also suggested identifying each research proposal, indicating its cost, its timeline for implementation and it’s funding. The EB questioned which level of details the ETPGAH had to consider.

I. Minguez-Tudela indicated that she was already considering how the platform’s recommendations might fit into research projects in the FP 7.

After a broad discussion on the possible approaches, the EB agreed that J. Scudamore would draft an implementation plan and prepare a proposal categorizing the recommendations in 3 groups. At the end of April the EB will decide if more expertise is needed to improve the implementation plan.

Session 5: Special meeting with other Interested Parties

The EB foresaw that 6 or 7 other Interested Parties (IP) would attend that meeting, as well as representatives of companies and members of the EB, which would lead to a total of about 30 persons.

I. Minguez-Tudela will try to provide a meeting room in the Commission.

The meeting is planned to take place on 31st May.

Session 6: Endorsement of the SRA by the Steering Council

The EB agreed that the Steering Council (SC) would endorse the SRA by electronic written procedure.

The draft 6 prepared by J. Scudamore will be circulated to the members of the SC asking them to endorse the document by a determined date, in order enable the presentation to the Commission to be done before the end of March.

A full SC meeting to discuss implementation plan will take place on 31 May from 9.00 to 11.00, before the other IP meeting,

Session 7: AOB

I. Minguez-Tudela agreed to provide information to the European CVO’s on the SRA during one of their meetings at the Commission.

It was suggested to invite other services of the Commission to the IP meeting. D. O’Brien to coordinate with I. Minguez-Tudela.

It was agreed to inform the Research/University world during EAEVE (“Deans Club”) meeting. D. O’Brien to speak to J. Vaarten.

In terms of funding organizations, a meetng should be arranged when the Implementation Plan is sufficiently well developed.

 

Session 8: Next meetings

• EB 6^th meeting: teleconference on Friday 7 April 2006 at 14.00 (Brussels time)

• EB 7^th meeting: teleconference to discuss the implementation plan on Tuesday 2 May 2006 at 9.00 (Brussels time)