The role of a Veterinary Statutory Body is to oversee the quality and competence of veterinarians in a country. A competent Veterinary Statutory Body, autonomous from any political or commercial interests, can ensure the excellence of the veterinary profession through appropriately licensing or registering veterinary professionals, and providing minimum standards for (initial and continuing) education and professional conduct. The functional and legislative framework within which a Veterinary Statutory Body exercises its regulatory capacity is defined in Article 3.2.12 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

In order to ensure the efficacy of a Veterinary Statutory Body, twinning is encouraged to strengthen the competencies required for a Veterinary Statutory Body to fulfill its responsibilities under the Veterinary Authority, whilst complying with international standards.

The OIE Veterinary Statutory Body Twinning Programme is sufficiently flexible to cater the required support needed by a Candidate Veterinary Statutory Body, regardless of the reasons for twinning: a twinning project can assist a Candidate in becoming established in a situation where there is a lack of national regulation or it can serve to assist an established Veterinary Statutory Body improve its compliance with international standards.

The ultimate goal of the twinning programme is to assist Veterinary Statutory Bodies in becoming self-sufficient and supervise professional practice.

Twinning is undertaken by a recognised Veterinary Statutory Body - the ‘Parent’ - and a beneficiary ‘Candidate’ Veterinary Statutory Body, and aims to provide an opportunity for both the Parent and Candidate to garner and develop expertise. It is encouraged that projects under this programme include the participation of developing and in-transition countries, and priority will be given to applications from where capacities are most lacking.

The length of the project would depend on its scope. OIE twinning projects last a minimum of one year and a maximum of three years (extensions may be envisaged). Further details regarding twinning projects between Veterinary Statutory Bodies can be consulted in the OIE’s Guide to Veterinary Statutory Body Twinning Projects.

Global Conference on Veterinary Education and the Role of the Veterinary Statutory Body (Brazil, 2013)

Focus on Veterinary Statutory Bodies

Guide to Veterinary Statutory Body Twinning Projects