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NOAH congratulates EMA on move to Amsterdam
The EMA is moving to Amsterdam following the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union.
Organisation calls for continued close working relationship

The National Office of Animal Health has congratulated Amsterdam on its successful bid to host the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

In a statement, NOAH chief executive Dawn Howard said: "We congratulate Amsterdam on its successful bid to host the EMA. Now the agency’s destination is known, we need to ensure continuity of availability of animal medicines during the move, and into the future.”

She added: “We believe it is vital that both UK and EU cooperate on animal medicines safety, regulation and supply - this is urgent.

“Good animal health is key to good welfare, and keeping animals healthy is key to public health too. Our future regulatory model and relationship with both the EU and international partners will be critical to the health of us all,” she said.

The EMA has to relocate due to the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. Amsterdam was one of 19 offers to host the Agency submitted by the Member States at the end of July 2017.

In a statement, the EMA said that it was to begin working immediately with the Dutch government to ensure successful move by end of March 2019.  

Welcoming the decision, EMA executive director Guido Rasi said: “Now that we finally know where our journey is taking us, we can take concrete actions for a successful move.

“Amsterdam ticks many of our boxes. It offers excellent connectivity and a building that can be shaped according to our needs. I am very grateful that the Member States took into account our requirements for business continuity and gave priority to the protection of public and animal health.”

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.