Notification of Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

Abstract

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) is an intergovernmental organisation created by an international agreement in 1924. In May 2007, the OIE consisted of 169 member countries. The OIE develops standards for the use of these countries to protect themselves from disease incursion while avoiding unjustified sanitary barriers. These standards are scientifically based and are prepared by elected specialist commissions and working groups comprising world renowned scientific experts in the relevant fields. Most of these experts belong to the OIE worldwide network of 190 collaborating centres and reference laboratories. The standards are adopted by the General Assembly of Member Countries, which meets annually in May in Paris. OIE standards are recognised as sanitary international references by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). One of the main missions of the OIE is to ensure transparency in the global animal-disease situation. Each member country undertakes to report animal diseases detected on its territory.