Paris, 20 May 2026; The declaration issued this week during the World Organisation for Animal Health General Session calling for animal health and welfare to be placed at the centre of global health security, economic resilience and sustainable development strategies is a welcome recognition of the important role of animal health.

Signed by 17 Ministers including European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Oliver Várhelyi, the Declaration recognises animal health as being “fundamental to food and nutrition security, economic stability, safe trade, poverty reduction and the prevention of health crises at the human–animal–environment interface.”

AnimalhealthEurope strongly supported the theme of the WOAH General Session’s Summit: ‘Investing in animal health to secure everyone’s future’, and welcomed the strong political signal from participating global ministers that investment in veterinary services, disease prevention and animal vaccination must be a global priority.

The animal health sector also welcomed the launch of a new global public-private partnership dedicated to animal disease prevention: The PREVENT Forum. This WOAH-hosted dialogue mechanism aims to bring together governments, vaccine manufacturers, veterinary associations, producer organisations, access-focused groups, development partners, and other international organisations to strengthen the global approach to animal disease prevention.

Commenting on the General Session’s events, Roxane Feller AnimalhealthEurope Director General said,

“As outlined in our previously published recommendations for a harmonised EU animal vaccination strategy, it is now time for Europe’s leaders to build on the impetus for enhanced investment in animal health preparedness and prevention. The recently published State of the World’s Animal Health report, highlights that measures such as animal disease surveillance, veterinary workforce capacity, and vaccination programmes, receive less than 0.6% of global health spending, yet these systems are central to our shared future.

With animal disease outbreaks growing more frequent and more complex, urgent action is needed to strengthen prevention, preparedness, and response systems. Animal health matters now more than ever. It is a strategic priority at the crossroads of food security, trade, public health, and global stability. Animal health must receive far greater political recognition and sustained investment at both European and global levels.”

– ENDS –

Notes for editors:

• AnimalhealthEurope’s Annual Conference, ‘In a time of shrinking budgets, how can Europe finance healthy herds?’ will address the themes outlined in this statement. Taking place on 2 July in Brussels, it will discuss practical issues around securing investments in animal health, with a view to encouraging policymakers, investors, and the farming community to recognise that good animal health is an investment, not a cost.
• AnimalhealthEurope represents 14 of Europe’s leading manufacturers of animal medicines and 16 national associations in 20 countries, covering 90% of the European Market.