Prague, 25 March 1998

Prof.Dr Bernard T o m a

Chairman, International Society for

Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics

Chef du Service des Maladies contagieuses

Ecole National Veterinaire d'Alfort

94700 Maisons-Alfort

F R A N C E

-----------------------------------------

Dear Professor Toma,

I refer to our discussion in Paris last year and to my letter of 1 February 1996 (copy attached) in which I recommended to strengthen the global impact of the International Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics. I would like to repeat my previous suggestions this time with urgency due to increasing spreading of many animal diseases thanks to rapidly intensifying trade.

I am concern about animal diseases globalization risk emerging with increasing globalization of trade in animals and their products. According to my opinion the measures for the protection of specific diseases free populations and territories under historically new conditions must be much more demanding and complex than any time before.

This requires not only availability of corresponding disease prevention and control methods, international norms, standards and much more reliable information but also very well staffed and equipped government veterinary services (including own diagnostic laboratories) supported by adequate legislation. Only strong government veterinary services can transfer the methods and norms in country practice and are be able to monitor and control effectively the country diseases situation at field level and to inspect consequentially the trade in animals and their raw products.

Nobody wants the next generations to blame our generation for worsening of animal population health global situation with negative, not always reparable, multiplying and long-term up to lasting biological, economic, public health and social consequences. (This is not the case of all other commodities, i.e. of inanimate character).

According to my opinion the Society is the right international body for helping veterinary services to fight against incredible pressure of the tradesmen and businessmen and their strong lobbies to limit ad maximum veterinary protective measures abusing so called "free trade". Disease introduction consequences are usually covered by tax payers and not by those who have the trade profit. (E.g. only eradication of the screwworm imported by sheep from South America into North Africa cost during 1989-1991 more than 80 million USD. The traders contributed nothing).

We have to defend specifically healthy populations in the whole world. This requires " daily fight". As example can serve international organizations fighting to protect natural environment, to apply sustainable development and for animal welfare.

In this context I would like to stress the need for helping veterinary services by providing them by necessary economic methods and convincing arguments for defending effective protective and recovery measures.

Next symposium of the Society to be held in the year 2000 offers historical chance for issuing a Declaration warning all the world about the increasing risk with irreparable consequences and supporting principles of animal health protection under new conditions of international trade. I would suggest to call it "Fort Collins Declaration".

The warning declaration to be given not only to all official organizations and institutions mentioned in my previous letter, but also to mass media, i.e. to newspapers, TV, radios, Internet, etc. to alarm world public. We have to exploit all ways for waking up public opinion and thus to influence the decision-makers. World public should be made aware about the risk which is not less important than environment protection and animal welfare.

Our Society is not any executing agency with direct responsibility and cannot replace any national or international organizations, institutions and services. However, the word of this scientific Society can be extremely helpful by warning about the risk and stimulating necessary actions, particularly now starting new millennium.

We have to help to s t r e n g t h e n the defense of animal populations' health under increasing pressure of businessmen to limit or avoid rightful veterinary requirements and under general false tendency of the "economists" to reduce government veterinary services limiting independent trade inspection and control programmes inputs.

The main criterion for the usefulness of any global professional society is how far is influencing the practical life in the whole world, i.e. having some kind of moral co-responsibility for global situation.

Trade yes, but safe !

Yours sincerely,

Prof. MVDr Vaclav K o u b a, DrSc.

Former Chief, Animal Health Service,

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

P.B. 516, 17000 Praha 7

Czech Republic

Copy: Prof. Mo Salman,

Secretary of the ISVEE