♦ 13 September 2016 ♦ The 2016 session of the inter-laboratory test for rabies diagnosis was undertaken by 54 laboratories, including 28 non-EUMS laboratories. The report is under proofreading and should be available at the end of this month. Caution! Each participating laboratory will receive an online satisfaction questionnaire regarding this test. Thank you to take time to fill it carefully.  

♦13 September 2016 ♦ The annual rabies EURL meeting gathered a total of 44 participants, among them 30 from the EU Member States and 10 from EU bordering countries. As usual, the meeting gave the opportunity for rabies scientists to meet all together ending with fruitful exchanges. The report of 8th workshop for rabies is now available online in the private part of the EURL for rabies website.  

♦ 13 September 2016 ♦ The last results for the 2016 session of the inter-laboratory test for rabies serology have now reached the EURL for rabies serology. Results and report will be communicated soon to the participating laboratories, as well as the European Commission and relevant authorities where necessary. This test is compulsory for the purposes of laboratories authorisations to carry out the serological tests to monitor the effectiveness of the anti-rabies vaccination. More information on http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/approved-labs/index_en.htm  

♦ 13 September 2016 ♦ The first session of proficiency test on serological techniques performed in the frame of rabies control programmes in wildlife (monitoring of oral vaccination) will soon be launched. The main objective of this proficiency test will be to have a global overview of the performances of the techniques and protocols undertaken by the NRLs to titrate the rabies antibodies in wildlife samples. Considering the number of different techniques in use in the EU (seroneutralisation tests and ELISA tests), an ultimate objective for next years would be to try to get a better harmonization of results obtained by the NRL.  

♦ 28 September 2016 ♦ World rabies day will have a special taste this year as 2016 will be the tenth edition. Should you plan to do something special for this year, do not forget to register on the Global Alliance for Rabies Control website. Thank you to the countries of our network which already advertised: In Europe and North Africa, we noted that Britain will give a talk and fundraise for Mission Rabies, a vet in Spain is offering a 40% discount on pet vaccines, the Croatian Veterinary Institute plans to visit schools and university for rabies awareness and Egypt is pressuring GOVS to adopt GARC, OIE and WHO recommendations through the AWAR (Animal Welfare Awareness Research) programme. Thank you to all of you!  

♦ 08 August 2016 ♦ [relayed from cordis.europa.eu website] Launched in November 2011, the PREDEMICS five-year project has investigated ways of detecting a range of infectious pathogens - such as rabies, the human influenza virus and Ebola - quickly and simultaneously. All data amassed through the PREDEMICS project is currently being collected and compiled in a freely accessible data-sharing platform, which will enable further analysis after the project is completed at the end of October 2016. Furthermore, training in leading European universities, as well as exchanges of approaches and data sharing with national and international health organisations has been carried out, in order to strengthen Europe’s position in this global challenge.  

♦ 01 September 2016 ♦ Reminder: The Health Certificate for pet animal (dog, cat or ferret) in Part 1 of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013 was only applicable until 31 August 2016. The new model applicable from 1st September 2016 is available on the ec.europa.eu website.  

Announcement of the 21st EU-RL/NRLs workshop scheduled at Anses-Fougeres location on October 6th and 7th, 2016 and dedicated to the  CONTROL OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESIDUES IN FOOD FROM ANIMAL ORIGIN ADVANCES IN LC-MS/MS METHOD FOR SCREENING AND CONFIRMING ANTIBIOTICS  IN MEAT and FISH

Announcement of the 2016 AOAC-Europe International Conferences “LABS in a CRYSTAL BALL - New trends for multi-components analysis” scheduled October 18th & 19th, 2016 at Parque Científico de Barcelona