Report from the UEVP General Assembly in Rovaniemi: the European veterinary community discusses the future of the profession
The General Assembly of the UEVP - Union of European Veterinary Practitioners was held in Rovaniemi (Finland) on June 11, 2026. This is one of the key European platforms where practicing veterinarians from different countries discuss current issues in the industry, analyze challenges and form common approaches to the development of the profession.
Ukraine participates in the work of the UEVP as an observer. For the Ukrainian veterinary community, such a presence provides an opportunity to see firsthand how European organizations work on strategic issues, build partnerships, and respond to changes in society and the profession.
Opening of the Assembly
The morning of the assembly was held in a constructive atmosphere. New participants were officially welcomed: a representative of Finnish practitioners, a vice-chairman of one of the European veterinary practice associations, a Polish exotic animal specialist, and the president of the Romanian College of Veterinarians.
Special guests included the Director of Animal Welfare of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Vice President of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). Their presence demonstrated interest in the dialogue between the European and North American veterinary communities.
The agenda of the assembly includes practical and strategic issues: the model of veterinary crisis preparedness in Finland, regulation of dog breeding, exotic diseases (report from Greece), updates from FECAVA, FEEVA, EAZWV and IVSA, as well as the issue of emergency killing in pigs.
Strategic session: assessment of achievements and future challenges
During the strategic part of the meeting, participants honestly assessed the organization’s work over the past period and discussed future challenges.
The strengthened partnership with the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) was noted, which allows practicing veterinarians to have a stronger voice at the European level. The successful implementation of the communication strategy, the increased visibility of UEVP in European institutions, in particular in the ECCVT, as well as the organization’s active participation in key congresses and working groups were highlighted. During the session, an honorary membership was awarded to one of the colleagues for many years of contribution to the organization’s financial and budgetary work and a new member of the management team was introduced.
An important topic was the strategic partnership with FVE. The priorities were jointly defined: prevention, preparedness and the issue of referral resistance. Thanks to this cooperation, European veterinary organizations managed to influence the positions of European institutions on the shortage of veterinarians, the spread of diseases and innovations in the industry. A joint position paper is being prepared, and a new joint working group UEVP-FVE on health issues has been created.
The participants also discussed issues of communication with members. The active use of the official UEVP app as the main information channel, the growth of the presence on LinkedIn, work on the new website and the “One in All” project were noted. Special attention was paid to multilingual communication with different generations of veterinarians.
One of the most open topics was the future of the profession. Participants emphasized that the veterinary profession is traditionally considered conservative, but society is changing much faster. Demographic shifts, new customer expectations and technological developments require a review of approaches to training the next generation of veterinarians. The need to equip the profession with modern tools was noted so that it remains attractive to young people.
Why is this important for Ukrainian veterinarians
Even as an observer, presence at such meetings allows us to see the real mechanisms of the European veterinary community. The issues discussed in Rovaniemi - staff shortages, preparedness for crisis situations, impact on European policy, digital tools for communication with members, training of the younger generation - directly concern the Ukrainian industry.
The more deeply Ukrainian veterinarians understand European approaches and challenges, the better they can analyze their own processes and prepare for future changes. For the PO "Society of Veterinary Business Owners", such participation is part of the systematic work on international cooperation and monitoring of European trends, which may subsequently affect the development of veterinary business in Ukraine.
We will continue to inform you about key moments of European discussions that have practical significance for the work of veterinary clinics in Ukraine.
Andrii Klietsov
Head of the Board of the Non-profit Organization "Society of Veterinary Business Owners"
