Press Release: Animal Health: Commission proposal to improve prevention of Bluetongue disease and cut farmers’ costs

The European Commission is taking advantage of technological developments to consolidate the suppression of Bluetongue disease in the EU. The 15 November 2010 proposal to amend Directive 2000/75/EC, expected to enter into force in 2011, updates current rules on vaccination. It brings them in line with recent technological developments in vaccine production thus allowing the use of vaccines in the whole territory of the EU. The wider and more flexible use of vaccines is also expected to limit Bluetongue's economic impact as direct and indirect losses to farmers (morbidity and mortality, disruption of trade in live cattle, sheep and goats) will be reduced.