Athina Trachili – UEVP General Secretary (Greece): Why are "exotic" animal diseases increasingly threatening Europe?
On June 11, 2026, during the UEVP General Assembly in Rovaniemi, Athina Trachili (Greece) delivered a presentation titled "Why exotic diseases are becoming challenging for Europe?" She detailed the reasons behind the spread of transboundary animal diseases in Europe and shared the experience of Greece, which faced large-scale outbreaks in 2024.
Climate Change and Illegal Trade as Key Risk Factors
According to the speaker, climate change significantly contributes to the spread of vector-borne and transboundary diseases. Warming temperatures allow insect vectors (particularly mosquitoes) to survive the winter even in northern regions of Europe and remain active for much longer periods. This leads to more prolonged outbreaks of diseases such as Lumpy Skin Disease, sheep and goat pox (Capripox), and others.
The illegal movement of animals poses a distinct and serious risk. Illicit trade allows for the complete circumvention of biosecurity and veterinary control systems. Animals are frequently transported with forged documents, altered tags, and concealed true origins. This significantly hinders the timely detection of pathogens and creates a threat of the rapid spread of dangerous diseases such as Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), sheep and goat pox, and foot-and-mouth disease.
An additional factor is the high animal density within the single European market and the intensive movement of live animals between countries, which facilitates the "explosive" spread of viruses even before clinical signs of the disease appear.
Greece's experience: large-scale outbreaks and consequences
Since August 2024, Greece has faced simultaneous outbreaks of peste des petits ruminants (PPR), sheep and goat pox, and foot-and-mouth disease. Due to the strict application of European Regulation 2020/687, the country was forced to resort to the mass culling of animals. In total, over half a million head of livestock were destroyed.
Such measures were accompanied by a total ban on animal movement, the temporary closure of slaughterhouses, and significant economic losses for farmers. Although compensation from European and national funds is provided for, payments are often delayed, jeopardizing the survival of many farms.
Athina Trachili also highlighted the serious psychological and ethical consequences. Mass culling places a significant psychological burden on both farmers and veterinarians. Furthermore, environmental risks arise in connection with the disposal of large numbers of carcasses.
Proposals for Changing Approaches
The speaker called for a review of the current model for managing transboundary diseases, which relies heavily on drastic eradication measures and political decisions.
It was proposed to:
- Exert greater pressure on national and European policymakers regarding the need for reforms.
- Push for changes in European legislation to enable mandatory vaccination without the automatic imposition of trade restrictions on products derived from vaccinated animals.
- Shift the approach from "political management" to one that is science-based, specifically by investing more in research into new vaccines and the safety of animal-derived products.
- Strengthen on-farm biosecurity.
Why is this important for Ukraine?
Issues regarding transboundary animal diseases, illegal movement, and the consequences of harsh "extermination" policies are highly relevant to Ukraine. Our country also periodically faces outbreaks of dangerous infections, and matters of biosecurity and rapid response to threats remain priorities.
European experience - particularly that of Greece - demonstrates that purely punitive measures are not always the most effective in the long run, especially when diseases are already spreading across Europe.Finding a balance between protecting the livestock sector, the economic interests of farmers, and science-based methods (particularly vaccination) is also an important topic for discussion in the Ukrainian context.
The NGO "Society of Veterinary Business Owners" continues to analyze European approaches to managing transboundary animal diseases, as these issues directly impact the stability and development of the veterinary sector in Ukraine.
This article was prepared by Oksana Bilous, Secretary of the NGO "Society of Veterinary Business Owners."
