In the event of outbreaks of certain animal diseases or suspicion thereof, the Commission is required to provide assistance to the Member States and to third countries by means of highly experienced veterinary epidemiology expertise. Veterinary expertise availability has also been raised in the context of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council.

The prompt availability of sound technical expertise in the veterinary field is necessary for the Commission to be able to fulfil its tasks, notably in the event of major outbreaks of those animal diseases.

Expertise and support are more efficiently provided by a specialised team of experts, such as a Community Emergency Veterinary Team, whose Members make themselves available to the Commission on request. Such a team should be established and their role and tasks be defined.

For the Community Emergency Veterinary Team to be able to provide the Commission with the veterinary technical assistance required, its members may be sent to the Member States or third countries concerned. In that case the members should operate in cooperation with the competent authorities of the Member State or third country concerned.

The Community Emergency Veterinary Team should work, as appropriate, in close cooperation with other international expert groups, such as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in order to ensure that the available expertise are used in the most effective way,