UNOPS is supporting the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management to ensure the transposition of key EU Regulations into Montenegro’s legal framework. Specifically, UNOPS is supporting the incorporation of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls and Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases into a draft Animal Health Law. Aligning Montenegro’s legislative framework with the EU acquis under Chapter 12 Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy strengthens institutional capacity, supports legislative harmonization and ensures that the country can meet the closing benchmarks for this chapter – while fostering public health and trust in the agricultural and food production sectors.

The new Law will be fully aligned with EU standards, in line with the 2024–2027 Government Work Programme and the Strategy for transposition of the EU acquis. The adoption of the law, together with provisions for official control, is essential to fulfilling Montenegro’s obligations under Chapter 12 and meeting the second closing benchmark for Chapter 12.

“The new EU Animal Health Law concerns animal diseases that can pass from animal to animal or to humans (zoonoses) and takes a ‘One Health’ approach focusing on the link between animal health and public health, the environment, food and feed safety, animal welfare, food security, and economic, social and cultural considerations. This legal framework focuses on the interaction and connection among animals, people and the environment rather than considering such issues in isolation.

It also promotes ‘prevention is better than cure’ through better early detection and control of animal diseases, including emerging diseases linked to climate change. It has been adapted to enable rapid and effective responses to outbreaks of emerging diseases and to embrace new technology to facilitate an expanding but more tightly controlled animal health industry, that previously was not the case.

By following this new settings, it calls for national policy to align and follows this newand holistic approach, and therefore to consider the following driving principles: (1)Prevention is better than cure – greater investments in prevention, in research and in scientific advances as the key to improve the health and welfare of animals; (2) Animal health, welfare, food safety and public health are all linked, and they must been seen as a whole, therefore focusing on all aspects together; (3) A One Health approach remains essential in preventing animal diseases, protecting the environment and the health of people; (4) Animal health visits are a crucial tool as they have potential to improve livestock health, enhance economic efficiency and sustainability, as well as to reduce use of antibiotics.

Importantly, the responsibilities for professional keepers of animals, animal professionals and, to a certain extent, pet keepers, have been clarified and clearly set up. For operators such as farmers or laboratories, this includes requirements in relation to animal health, the prudent use of veterinary medicines, biosecurity measures, early detection and prevention of animal diseases, surveillance and animal health visits. Operators should also be aware of a series of new animal health certificate requirements for the movement of animals in the EU.”

UNOPS Expert on Chapter 12

This assignment supports SDG 15: Life on Land by promoting sustainable management of animal health, agriculture and ecosystems, as well as fostering a balance between agricultural productivity and the preservation of natural resources.