Animal disease outbreaks impose costs that extend far beyond direct production losses. Their impact is felt through animal suffering, large-scale culling, disruptions to trade and food systems, and the psychological toll on farmers and vets. As Europe continues to face emerging and re-emerging animal health threats, many stakeholders, including the FVE, are calling for a stronger focus on prevention rather than crisis management.
To contribute to this debate, FVE and Animal Advocacy & Food Transition (AAFT) are co-organising a high-level hybrid event at the European Parliament on 1 July 2026 (13:00–15:00 CET) entitled “The True Cost of Animal Disease: Animal Welfare, Animal Health and Sustainability in the EU – Investing in Prevention, Reducing the Need for Mass Culling.” Register here.
Looking beyond economic losses
Hosted by MEPs Tilly Metz and Paulo do Nascimento Cabral, the event will examine how prevention and preparedness, guided by One Health and One Welfare principles, can deliver long-term benefits for animals, people and society. The programme will feature data from the Global Burden of Animal Diseases Programme, veterinary perspectives from the field, and contributions from European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety and other key stakeholders.
The event comes at a particularly relevant moment, as FVE has also been invited to provide a keynote contribution at the conference on the Animal Health Law on 8 July.
(photo ©Alkemade/Pixabay)