The Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union is organising a Ministerial Conference on Animal Health to highlight the importance of a preventive approach based on biosecurity and vaccination as tools in the fight against animal diseases, with a particular view to avoiding mass culls.  

Particular attention will be paid to two diseases: African swine fever and highly pathogenic avian influenza. These are two very important epizootic diseases, with significant zoonotic potential in the case of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The event will also highlight advances in vaccination against highly pathogenic avian influenza and African swine fever.