Save the date! We are organising our annual conference on 2 July in the morning at Le Louise Hotel in Brussels.

The theme for 2026 serves as a follow-up to the discussion from the 2025 conference, “Preventing Disease X: the value of investing in animal health”, where speakers and participants highlighted the need to invest more in a preventive approach to animal disease control. This year the conference will discuss some of the more practical issues surrounding how to secure such investments, with a view to encouraging policymakers, investors, and the farming community to recognise that good animal health is an investment, not a cost.

With many studies and reports showing that preventing disease is more effective and more cost-efficient than treating disease after it occurs, the next step in the chain of moving to a truly preventive approach lacks both financial and political certainty. Effective preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery require strong and predictable financial mechanisms as well as clear political support. Dwindling EU and national budgets, and a tightly squeezed budget for the Common Agricultural Policy don’t leave much room for additional funding requests. And, aside from the financial aspects, other barriers such as trade policy, or access to vaccines and veterinary services, remain a hindrance to animal disease crisis preparedness.

The event will gather farmers, veterinarians, EU decision-makers, and the animal health industry to discuss:

• Where do we need to invest for better animal disease prevention?
• How and who should finance disease prevention and innovation in this area?
• What actions can help break down other barriers to a more preventive approach?