The role of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to facilitate the international trade in animals and animal products : policy and trade issues

G.K Bruckner

doi:10.4102/ojvr.v76i1.78

Abstract

The international trade in animals and animal products has become a sensitive issue for both developed and developing countries by posing an important risk for the international spread of animal and human pathogens whilst at the same time being an essential activity to ensure world-wide food security and food safety. The OIE has since its founding in 1924, applied a democratic and transparent decision-making process to continuously develop and review international standards for animal health and zoonoses to facilitate trade in animals and animal products. The role of the OIE is also mandated by the World Trade Organization (WTO) as international reference point for standards related to animal health. In support of its overall objective of promoting animal health world-wide, the OIE has also launched several other initiatives such as the improvement of the governance of veterinary services within its member countries and territories and to enhance the availability of diagnostic and scientific expertise on a more even global geographical distribution. Several trade facilitating concepts such as country, zonal and compartment freedom from disease as well the trade in disease free commodities has been introduced to enhance the trade in animals and animal products for all its members including those from developing and transitional countries who are still in the process of enhancing to full compliance with international sanitary standards.

Highlights

The creation of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) as an independent inter-governmental international organisation in 1924, offered the international community well before the creation of the United Nations (OIE 2008a), a totally new and much needed international decision-making forum to guard against the regional and global spread of infectious and trade sensitive animal diseases and zoonosis
In 1994, the World Trade Organization (WTO) mandated the OIE as the international reference organisation for international standards, guidelines and recommendations related to global animal health with the main purpose of facilitating international trade in terrestrial and aquatic animals and their products and to avoid the introduction of pathogens via international trade in animals and animal products, while at the same time preventing countries from setting up unjustified sanitary barriers to inhibit trade (WTO 1995)
The companion complementary volumes, the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals (OIE 2008b) and the similar manual for aquatic animals, specify reference techniques for diagnosing animal diseases, tests that are prescribed and recommended for trade purposes, and export certification and quality requirements for vaccines for specific animal diseases

Summary

Introduction

The creation of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) as an independent inter-governmental international organisation in 1924, offered the international community well before the creation of the United Nations (OIE 2008a), a totally new and much needed international decision-making forum to guard against the regional and global spread of infectious and trade sensitive animal diseases and zoonosis. The OIE in pursuance of this mandate has initiated several other measures to facilitate the international trade in terrestrial and aquatic animals and their products, the most important being to assist members to identify their needs for veterinary serv-

Results

Conclusion