On 4 February, the FVE Board and presidents of its four sections (UEVP, EASVO, UEVH and EVERI) met in Brussels to define strategic priorities for 2026, under the overarching theme of prevention and preparedness, alongside continued work on strengthening internal governance and cross-section collaboration.
‘Core elements of our daily work’
‘For veterinary practitioners, prevention and preparedness are core elements of our daily work,’ stressed Volker Moser, UEVP president, ‘from vaccination and biosecurity to antimicrobial stewardship and early disease detection — often under increasing professional and logistical pressure.’
Vaccination, a key tool to prevent HPAI and ND
A Vaccination to Live campaign will promote vaccination as a key tool in the prevention of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) and Newcastle Disease, and highlight the central role of veterinarians in animal and public health protection. FVE will also deliver a range of webinars on priority topics including biosecurity, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging diseases — areas of direct relevance to everyday veterinary practice.
New: a joint FVE/UEVP animal health working group
A new joint FVE/UEVP Animal Health Working Group will be established, reinforcing the role of practitioners in shaping European animal health policy. A call for experts will follow shortly. ‘UEVP welcomes FVE’s strong focus on prevention and preparedness. These priorities can only succeed if they are firmly grounded in the daily realities of veterinary practitioners and supported by practical, workable policies,’ stressed Volker Moser.
VetSurvey: have you participated yet?
Furthermore, FVE’s flagship VetSurvey aims to collect 14,000 responses, providing robust data on the realities of the veterinary profession across Europe and supporting evidence-based advocacy at EU level. The UEVP calls upon all practitioners to participate now ‘to ensure our voice is accurately reflected.’
Article 106 statement and other initiatives
- The FVE is preparing a statement regarding Article 106 of the EU veterinary medicines law, according to which vets are required to strictly adhere to the manufacturer’s product leaflet (SCP), leaving no room for alternative indications or treatment durations.
- Several working groups are being renewed for the 2026–2029 term, including the FVE/UEVP Animal Welfare and Medicines Working Groups.
- Also in the pipeline: the revised Code of Conduct, a comprehensive biosecurity position paper, and guidance on aquaculture sustainability.
- On 12 February, FVE President Siegfried Moder and executive director Nancy De Briyne will meet with WOAH leadership to further strengthen cooperation on animal health prevention and preparedness.
Photo, from left: Mette Uldahl (FVE), Massenzio Fornasier (FVE), Volker Moser (UEVP), Siegfried Moder (FVE), Milorad Radakovic (EVERI), Jane Clark (FVE), Jason Aldiss (UEVH), Piotr Kwiecinski (FVE), Mark McCarthy (EASVO) and Nancy De Briyne (FVE executive director).