The European Union and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have stepped up efforts to assist countries in their preparation for possible disease outbreaks, with the Balkans a particular focus due to fact it comprises both EU and non-EU member countries, and is closer to infected countries further south and east.
The European Commission for the control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD), helps countries to develop and test contingency plans in the case of disease outbreaks.
These plans were recently tested in Bulgaria, Serbia and the former Yugoslavian republic of Macedonia, where government veterinary services took part in a desktop simulation of a simultaneous outbreak of FMD in herds in the three countries – it is the first time something like this has been done. Other Balkan countries and Greece also took part in the exercise as observers.
Keith Sumption, executive secretary of the Commission, said: "The exercise met its target of testing the management response to a complex and evolving FMD outbreak, including testing capacity to communicate within and between the countries and with international organisations, and the ability to prioritise tasks at national and local level."
He said exercises such as these were an effective way of identifying weaknesses that could result in "catastrophic consequences" in a real-life situation.
"The simulation exercise in the Balkans is important to the countries involved, as it presents an opportunity to run a first test of their state of preparedness since the last major crisis in the region in 2011, when Bulgaria had to control outbreaks in wildlife and domestic animals," he continued.
A second multi-country simulation exercise is due to take place in the Balkans in July.