ERFP presentation to Standing Committee on Zootechnics

Mike Roper – ERFP ChairAndreas Georgoudis – ERFP Secretariat

European Regional Focal Point for Animal Genetic Resources The European Regional Focal Point for Animal

Genetic Resources (ERFP) is the European implementation of FAO's Global Strategy for the management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources.

It is a communication platform managed by the Secretariat under the direction of a Steering Committee through the mandate of the Annual Workshop

The ERFP consists of the officially appointed Government representatives (NCs) from 37 countries in the FAO European Region

History 1997 Vienna

Discussions – need to establish a regional focal point 1998 Warsaw

Light structure Respect national sovereignty

1999 Zurich No agreement on funding

2000 the Hague Creation of ERFP

2002 Cairo ERFP became fully operational!

ERFP Mission and Objectives

Assist and enhance the AnGR activities of NFPs at European level

Develop and maintain regular contact and exchange of relevant information on AnGR between European NFPs and the Global Focal Point in Rome

Stimulate the funding and organisation of regional projects, workshops and national programmes on AnGR within European Region

Maintain liaison with the EU, the Permanent Secretariat of the CBD and other bodies involved in the management of AnGR

Stimulate and co-ordinate the maintenance and further development of national and regional AnGR databases

Annual Workshop of National Focal Points - Mandate and Tasks

The Annual Workshop: Brings together NCs of FAO's European Region

annually - normally chaired by the host country Elects the Secretariat country and the Steering

Committee members Approves the budget, sets the general rules of

operation and agrees future activities Acts as forum for exchange of information on

relevant national and sub-regional activities Encourages collaboration on technical (e.g.

EAAP), policy (e.g. EU Commission) and organisational (e.g. FAO Global Focal Point) AnGR issues - with experts as appropriate

Steering Committee - Mandate and Tasks

The Steering Committee: Consists of 5 members elected from among

the NCs representing all the European sub-regions

Plans or executes ERFP activities decided upon by the Annual Meeting of NFPs

Represents the ERFP in contact with other institutions under the mandate of the Annual Meeting

Secretariat - Mandate and Tasks of ERFP

The Secretariat is elected from among the NFPs to serve for a period of 4 years to:

Organise the Annual Workshop of NFPs Give secretarial support to the Steering

Committee of the ERFP Execute decisions and support projects decided

on by the Annual Meeting or Steering Committee

Distribute relevant information on AnGR among European NFPs and from within the FAO global network - via newsletters / email / website etc.

Funding of ERFP Through annual financial contributions by donor

countries within Europe placed in a Trust Fund administered by the Steering Committee through the Secretariat but held and fully audited by the European Association of Animal Production (EAAP)

Funds cover basic running costs of the Secretariat (secretarial time, communication, travel) when engaged on ERFP business, the Steering Committee and costs of specific activities approved by the Annual Meeting

Voluntary additional financial contributions may be made by donors for specific programmes or projects coordinated by the ERFP 

Workplan Activities and Strategies - 1

Developing ERFP network via Website <http://www.rfp-europe.org/> Hosted by BLE in Bonn Useful tool for the work of NCs and other

interested persons/bodies Managing ERFP Calls for Action

Since 2002, 11 small collaborative projects have been funded (max. Euro 20k)

Workplan Activities and Strategies - 2

Participating in EU projects e.g.- EFABIS (European Farm Animal

Biodiversity Information System)

NB. Some approved EU GenRes projects were developed from ERFP scoping studies: Regional Cattle Breeds towards a self-

sustainable European Regional Cattle breed – EURECA

HERITAGE SHEEP

Workplan Activities and Strategies - 3

Promoting a European Breed Database to encourage the study, documentation,

cataloguing and appropriate development of AnGR in Europe – e.g. through EFABIS-net

Supporting NCs in AnGR activities to enhance the role of NCs in the relevant

structures in their country Liaising with the European Commission

to ensure that AnGR policy is incorporated into the development of mainstream livestock legislation wherever possible

Workplan Activities and Strategies - 4 Co-organising the TAIEX/SANCO/ERFP

Workshop on Legal and Strategic Aspects of Animal Genetic Resources in Europe, Brussels, 19 - 20 January 2006

Commissioning a report on European Strategic Priorities and a European Regional Fact Sheet as part of the SoW report

Encouraging full regional and national participation in the International Technical Conference on AnGR in Interlaken 2007……

FAO – SoW: Current position

170+ reports

41 from Europe

90% of world’s countries

95% of world’s land area

State of the World’s Animal Genetic ResourcesState of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources 8

Submitted Reports

Expected Reports

CBD driver – COP VII Decision 3

Invites the Parties and other Governments to consider and promote, as appropriate and subject to national legislation and international law, the mainstreaming of agricultural biodiversity in their plans, programmes and strategies with the active participation of local and indigenous communities and the inclusion in the communities' plans, programmes and strategies on conservation, development and use of agricultural biodiversity

February 2004

Status of the First SoW Report First draft circulated at Intergovernmental

Technical Working Group, Rome 13 – 15 Dec 2006

Countries invited to comment by 31 Jan ’07 Final draft to be submitted to 11th Session of

CGRFA in early June 2007 for consideration Report to be published and presented to the

International Technical Conference on AnGR at Interlaken, 1-7 September ‘07

Strategic Priorities for Action

Aim: a high quality strategic document To set stage for global policy discussion To generate public awareness of AnGR

1st & 2nd draft priorities

Jan ’04 – March ‘05

External Review

Regional email consultations

Sept ’05 – Jan ‘06

International meetings e.g. TAIEX

Nov ’05 – June ‘06

Revised SPAs negotiated by ITWG & CGRFA

Dec ’06 – June ‘07

SPAs finalised & adopted at ITC, Interlaken

Sept 1-7 2007

European Regional Priorities - 1

Sources: European national Country Reports

submitted by Ministers to FAO FAO Regional email consultation

Austria, Czech Republic, France TAIEX/SANCO/ERFP Workshop

80 participants; 30 European countries ERFP discussion paper, Antalya ‘06

European Regional Priorities - 2

Main European regional topics: Raising public and stakeholder awareness Capacity building (breeding, conservation) Sub regional, trans-boundary collaboration Encouraging East-West collaboration Monitoring diversity; developing indicators New strategies for in vivo conservation Rescue/emergency plans Facilitating mechanism at European level

Taiex/Sanco/ERFP Workshop ‘06

European Regional Priorities - 3

Next Steps: European Strategic Priorities + European

Factsheet for FAO by April Preparation for ITC Interlaken 2007

Engage MS Governments in process asap Establish EU position on regional/global priorities Negotiate priorities at CGRFA in June ‘07 Form opinions on access and benefit sharing

Cf. report “Exchange, use & conservation of AnGR” Engage in finalising priorities at Interlaken

ITC Interlaken 1-7 Sept. 2007

Objectives: Presentation of SoW Report Adoption of Strategic Priorities for

Action; modalities for implementation Adoption of recommendations on

future of Global Strategy on AnGR ? “Interlaken Declaration” on AnGR