Minutes of the 27th Regulatory Procedures AHG meeting held at FEDESA on 11th July 2001

Minutes of the 6^th Executive Board Teleconference

Meeting of the European Technology Platform for Global Animal Health

Friday 7 April 2006

Attendance

Present:

Members:

IFAH-Europe / Declan O’BRIEN (Chair)

BBSRC / Paul-Pierre PASTORET

COPA COGECA / Paul DE WINTER

FVE / Jan VAARTEN

OIE / Christianne BRUSCHKE

VMD-HMA / Steve DEAN

Apologies:

IFAH-Europe / Hervé MARION (Secretariat support)

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)

AGENDA

Session 1: Adoption of the minutes/actions of the 5^th EB meeting

Session 2: SRA Steering Council Consultation – Review/Feedback

Session 3: SRA Presentation to Commissioner Potocnik

Session 4: SRA Implementation Plan - Update

Session 5: Interested Parties Meeting – 31 May from 11.00 onwards

Session 6: Disease Prioritisation – Use of feedback Data

Session 7: Planned Activities

Session 8: Any Other Business

The agenda was adopted.

DISCUSSION

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

Session 1: Adoption of the minutes/actions of the 5^th EB meeting (16 February 2006)

The minutes were approved without change.

Session 2: SRA Steering Council Consultation – Review/Feedback

The Steering Council response to the latest draft of the SRA was very positive. The SRA is now finalized in content, will be proof read for typographical errors, standardized in format, will then be sent for printing and on publication, will be placed on the website.

Session 3: SRA Presentation to Commissioner Potocnik

The presentation to Commissioner Potocnik is organized for May 19^th from 11.00 to 11.20. A press release will be developed jointly with the Commission. The EB regard the formal presentation as a very good opportunity to publicise the work of the ETPGAH.

It was agreed that no publication of the SRA should take place in advance of May 19^th with the exception that copies of the SRA will be provided in the previous week to both the OIE and the FVE who have events organized.

It was agreed that we should circulate photography from the presentation and the press release widely in an attempt to maximize publicity from the May 19^th presentation.

The EB are invited to the event. It was noted that S. Dean, C. Bruscheke, J. Scudamore and J. Vaarten are not available. Other members of the EB were invited to inform the secretariat of their availability.

Session 4: SRA Implementation Plan - Update

Jim Scudamore will commence work on an Implementation Plan in the coming weeks. He would welcome input from members of the EB.

It was agreed as useful to look at what more advanced platforms have done. It was also agreed that we need to be very clear on how we foresee implementation. A key issue will be identifying sources of finance. It was suggested that we should propose a plan by the end of July as otherwise the implementation plan would be too far removed from the publication of the SRA.

It was suggested that we seek an opportunity to present the SRA to the Standing Committee on Animal Research (SCAR) as this committee includes funders from Member States. It was also suggested that we should investigate how we might interact with existing ERA-NETs as a means of establishing contacts with existing funding initiatives.

The Risk Sharing Finance Facility (RSFF) was mentioned from which funds may be sourced by both companies and public institutes. This is a funding mechanism used by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The EIB are particularly interested in funding projects that will be part of FP 7.

Reference was made to a conference being planned for June 28^th where it might be possible to get a presentation slot for the ETPGAH.

Isabel Minguez-Tudela will help to identify possible opportunities with SCAR, the EIB and the June conference.

Session 5: Interested Parties Meeting – 31 May from 11.00 onwards

A high level of interest is expected in the event. [Post meeting note: Approximately 75 delegates are expected]. Concerning a meeting room, a backup option will be put in place in case the Commission cannot host the event.

An agenda for the meeting will be circulated in the near future and will be similar to that of the stakeholder meeting. Proposed presenters were requested to confirm their availability.

Concerning fish diseases, the EB discussed the merits or otherwise of expanding the scope of the SRA to include fish diseases. This point was raised for discussion as the Commission recently indicated that it did not foresee more ETP’s being created and queried if the ETPGAH could include fish diseases within its scope. Following discussion, it was agreed that we should informally investigate the interest or otherwise of the fish industry in being part of the ETPGAH.

Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Scotland and freshwater fisheries are likely to be interested. The European Federation of Fish Pathologists was mentioned as a relevant group.

P.P. Pastoret , Declan O’Brien, Steve Dean, Jim Scudamore and Jan Vaarten agreed to investigate what might be possible. It was agreed that no formal action could be taken to expand the scope of the ETPGAH without the approval of the Steering Council. As the Steering Council is scheduled to meet on May 31^st, a proposal could be made at that point if investigations suggest that an initiative might be of interest to the fish industry.

It was noted that fish breeding issues could be considered by FABRE TP.

Session 6: Disease Prioritisation – Use of feedback Data

After discussion, it was decided to conclude this initiative. It was clear that the task should be the subject of systematic research.

Session 7: Planned Activities

Steering Council Meeting - confirmed for May 31. Fish issue will be included in the agenda. G. Brueckner will represent the OIE at the meeting.
Presentation to CVO’s - Jim Scudamore will identify possible dates.
EAEVE presentation – presentation planned on 2^nd of June in Ghent . Declan O’Brien will give a 20 minute presentation . P. De Winter and J. Vaarten will also attend.
Funding Amendment - date has been changed – this is an opportunity to lobby the European parliament for more funding in the FP 7. [Post meeting note: Date changed to May 10^th - Declan O’Brien will attend]
Meeting of Platforms in Vienna - Declan O’Brien, Steve Dean, Hervé Marion, Mireille Chaton-Schaffner, and Dieter Schillinger of Merial will attend the event. Participants will split across the different workshops. We will distribute the Vision document but not the SRA. We will indicate that the SRA will be available after May 19^th.
University of Utrecht – Declan O’ Brien has an invitation to make a presentation on the SRA to the University on May 17^th. P. De Winter will also attend.

Session 8: Any Other Business

a) Next meeting of the EB

It is planned to have a teleconference on May 2^nd at 10.00 if needed to discuss ongoing activities. Declan O’Brien is to confirm if the meeting will proceed.

There being no further business, the meeting then concluded.

Steering Council Meeting - confirmed for May 31. Fish issue will be included in the agenda. G. Brueckner will represent the OIE at the meeting.

Presentation to CVO’s - Jim Scudamore will identify possible dates.

EAEVE presentation – presentation planned on 2^nd of June in Ghent . Declan O’Brien will give a 20 minute presentation . P. De Winter and J. Vaarten will also attend.

Funding Amendment - date has been changed – this is an opportunity to lobby the European parliament for more funding in the FP 7. [Post meeting note: Date changed to May 10^th - Declan O’Brien will attend]

University of Utrecht – Declan O’ Brien has an invitation to make a presentation on the SRA to the University on May 17^th. P. De Winter will also attend.

a) Next meeting of the EB

Steering Council Meeting - confirmed for May 31. Fish issue will be included in the agenda. G. Brueckner will represent the OIE at the meeting.

Presentation to CVO’s - Jim Scudamore will identify possible dates.

EAEVE presentation – presentation planned on 2nd of June in Ghent . Declan O’Brien will give a 20 minute presentation . P. De Winter and J. Vaarten will also attend.

Funding Amendment - date has been changed – this is an opportunity to lobby the European parliament for more funding in the FP 7. [Post meeting note: Date changed to May 10th - Declan O’Brien will attend]

University of Utrecht – Declan O’ Brien has an invitation to make a presentation on the SRA to the University on May 17th. P. De Winter will also attend.

a) Next meeting of the EB

EAEVE presentation – presentation planned on 2^nd of June in Ghent . Declan O’Brien will give a 20 minute presentation . P. De Winter and J. Vaarten will also attend.

Funding Amendment - date has been changed – this is an opportunity to lobby the European parliament for more funding in the FP 7. [Post meeting note: Date changed to May 10^th - Declan O’Brien will attend]

University of Utrecht – Declan O’ Brien has an invitation to make a presentation on the SRA to the University on May 17^th. P. De Winter will also attend.