1/20/2020: 

Royal GD has been designated as a delegated body by the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. This means that GD will conduct certain tasks on behalf of the government, in the interest of animal health surveillance in the Netherlands. This concerns the following three tasks: Enzootic Bovine Leukosis surveillance, bluetongue surveillance and the coordination of poultry surveillance.

The European Official Controls Regulation (OCR) became applicable on 14 December 2019. The Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625 addresses official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products. This European regulation states how governments must execute the official controls and other official activities. The new legislation covers the surveillance of animal diseases that are regulated within Europe.

In the Netherlands, GD conducts tasks in the field of animal health surveillance on behalf of the government, which have been designated as ‘other official activities’ since the introduction of the OCR. In order to be able to continue to conduct these activities, GD must comply with the requirements set by the OCR for a so-called delegated body.

GD is, also in the opinion of the Dutch Minister, an impartial and independent organisation that has the necessary expertise, equipment and infrastructure, and that also employs sufficiently qualified and experienced staff to be able to conduct the tasks for which GD has been designated as an delegated body. GD therefore complies with the conditions set by the European Union for delegated bodies. As of 14 December, GD has been officially designated as a delegated body by the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, to conduct Enzootic Bovine Leukosis surveillance, bluetongue surveillance and the coordination of poultry surveillance.

For more information about this news report, please contact the M&C department, via +31 570 660344 or send an email.