European Union

 Known as 'SIVIA', the project is unique in that it includes the work of a Resident Twinning Advisor - Dr. Federigo G. Santini – who, for 18 months, will work at the Veterinary and Animal Health Services in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development in Bet Dagan. Together with the Italian Director General of Animal Health Ms Gaetana Ferri of the Italian Ministry of Health, Dr Santini will manage the project jointly with Dr. Boris Yakobson, the Director of the Kimron Veterinary Institute and Dr. Michel Bellaiche, Head of the Epidemiologic Unit at the Israeli Veterinary and Animal Health Services. In addition to the work of Dr. Santini, additional experts from Italy - which won an EU tender to manage this project - will also guide and support the project. The European Union is funding this project with nearly one million Euros. It is one of several similar "twinning" projects currently being held in Israel in the framework of European Neighbourhood Policy. 

 Focusing on the three main project objective areas, animal feed, animal health and animal welfare, the SIVIA project aims, through the harmonization of veterinary inspection procedures “from farm to fork”, to align Israeli quality standards to those in the EU. The project work plan also includes training and workshop sessions in Israel and in Italy with the goal of aligning Israeli legal and technical provisions to European regulations. Approximating Israeli procedures for quality control to those in the EU is also expected to expand Israeli exports of livestock, poultry and dairy products to European and international markets. Another objective of the project is to upgrade the existing veterinary information systems in order to improve the traceability of animals and food of animal origin for the control of animal diseases and have faster reaction in crisis situations. This is an essential tool for monitoring and controlling cases of food borne or animal diseases that could be transmitted to humans. 

Among the speakers at the opening ceremony of the SIVIA twinning project, to be chaired by Dr Nadav Galon, Director of the Israeli Veterinary Services, will be the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Orit Noked, the Head of the EU Delegation to Israel Ambassador Andrew Standley, the Ambassador of Italy Luigi Mattiolo and the Head of the Dept of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety at the Italian Ministry of Health, Professor Romano Marabelli.

The opening ceremony will be held at the Israeli Veterinary Services and Animal Health Headquarters, in the main lecture room, ground floor, Bet Dagan, on Tuesday, February 6th 2012 at 10:30 a.m.

Note to the editor: The overall goal of European Neighbourhood Policy is to foster the political and economic reform process, promote closer economic ntegration, legal and technical approximation and sustainable development among the European Union's immediate neighbours, including Israel. A jointly agreed EU-Israel Action Plan under European Neighbourhood Policy was approved in 2005. For more information see: http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/index_en.htm

Press contacts: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development - Dafna Yurista, 03-9485436 dover@moag.gov.il ; Yariv Tikolsker – 054-5900976 yarivtt@gmail.com
EU Delegation to Israel – David Kriss, 054-2240772 david.kriss@eeas,europa.eu