Brexit and the veterinary profession

Sean WensleyBVA Senior Vice President

“BVA will work hard to ensure the voice of the veterinary profession is heard during the negotiation and discussions…”

“BVA will retain an outward looking and inclusive perspective through our relationships with international partners, including FVE, CVA, and WVA to ensure the UK veterinary profession continues to influence and engage on cross border issues such as disease surveillance, veterinary medicines and antimicrobial resistance."

24 June

Areas covered by EU legislation

• Veterinary medicines • Livestock and food chain traceability• Food labelling • Livestock identification and record keeping• Food safety • Disease prevention, control, eradication and outbreaks • Surveillance • Control and disposal of animal by-products • Official animal welfare checks • Welfare at slaughter • Animal welfare standards for different species• Welfare in transport • Controls on food products and livestock at ports• Pet travel • Commercial movement of animals • Use of animals for research

Brexit Working Group

Absent: Prof Bill McKelvey, Dr Pete Goddard

Input to the Brexit Working Group

Member input: BVA Community discussion & Voice of the Veterinary Profession surveyCouncil input: Dec 2016 – Brexit opportunitiesDivision input:

BVA principles for negotiating the UK’s exit from the EU

Unique selling point of ‘UK PLC’ = high animal welfare &

food safety

Public money to replace CAP

should support and incentivise ‘public goods’

Working rights for vets and VNs must be

guaranteed

All existing standards must be maintained & opportunities sought

to improve

Reciprocal sharing of surveillance data must be maintained

UK should maintain link with the EU central approval

system for vet meds

Veterinary involvement from

farm to fork underpins AH, AW

& public health

Immigration systems must take account of workforce

need

Wider input to the Brexit Working Group

Major Employers Group

Outreach

• Breakfast on Brexit at BVA Congress

• Northern Ireland Brexit stakeholder meeting

• University presentations• Regional presentations• Vet Record viewpoint• BVA News