Foot-and-mouth disease and similar transboundary animal diseases (‘FAST disease’) remain permanent threats to European livestock production. FAST diseases are often highly infectious, and a single introduction usually has a serious and frequently catastrophic impact on animal health and welfare. FAST disease epidemics are disruptive to the livestock production value chain due to movement restrictions and trade bans that are imposed for controlling the outbreak. The risk for disruption can be reduced by preventing incursion, ensuring better preparedness for managing outbreaks, and helping European neighboring countries with eradicating these diseases.

The private sector stakeholders in livestock production are willing to take their ownership and responsibility in prevention, preparedness, and control of FAST diseases. Public-private partnerships can provide additional insights and solutions to animal health issues at the earliest stage of an open and structured discussion. Different fora have been established at European level to discuss and define policies and control options for emergency response. EuFMD has launched a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Initiative for Anticipating FAST-Disease Outbreaks under its work plan to explore collaborations between private and public partners and academia in the prevention and control of FAST diseases in a structured and open discussion. The initiative involves representatives of European private sector organizations. 

The Workshop objectives are to:

• present European and global examples of business continuity during FAST disease outbreaks and the issues and opportunities they may impose;
• share positions and initiatives of the public and private stakeholders.