The Second Observatory Monitoring report: Self-declarations and official status

Since 1998, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has the mandate from the World Trade Organization (WTO) to officially recognise disease-free areas of countries for trade purposes. The procedure for the official recognition of animal health status by WOAH is based on voluntary application and currently applies to six diseases.

WOAH Members can also self-declare freedom of their country, zones or compartments from any WOAH-listed aquatic or terrestrial animal disease, infection or infestation, except for the ones for which WOAH grants official status recognition. The Observatory assessed the uptake of these relevant standards by WOAH Members.