In mid-September, the President of the European Commission, Ursula VON DER LEYEN, presented her proposal for the future College of EU Commissioners and the allocation of portfolios. On this occasion, she proposed the appointment of Hungarian Olivér VÁRHELYI as European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, pending his approval by the European Parliament during the hearing scheduled in the coming weeks. This portfolio, long requested by many EU actors – including MEPs, NGOs and stakeholders – represents a significant step forward in recognizing animal welfare as a full responsibility within the Commission.
This same month, several measures were taken in the field of animal health. Notably, new progress was made in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, with the European Commission acknowledging the importance of the United Nations’ political declaration on this issue, reaffirming that it remains a priority – which is also the case for our profession.
Furthermore, the Commission has launched several works aimed at revising the minimum training requirements for veterinarians and implementing certain provisions of the veterinary legislative package. Additionally, the Commission’s efforts have once again focused on Avian influenza, African swine fever, and Goat plague, diseases that continue to spread in certain Member States. As a result, new restriction and surveillance measures have been adopted to curb their spread. Finally, Member States and MEPs have called on the Commission to take further measures to prevent the spread of Bluetongue.
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