The EU RL for Honeybee Health held its 1st. training on pesticide residue analyses on 11th. and 13th. October 2016. The training was dedicated to the harmonization of the analytical technique for the determination of neonicotinoid residues in beebread by LC-MS/MS. Two sessions were organized to allow people to handle in the laboratory. The programme consisted in carrying out an analytical technique from the preparation of samples (extraction, cleanup…) to quantitative determination by LC-MS/MS.  Presentations are available for members of the NRL network on the website.

The EU RL for Honeybee Health held its 6th. annual workshop on 4th. October 2016. Representatives from the Spanish NRL (Dr. Pilar Fernandez Somalo) and from the Czech NRL (MVDr. Martin Pijacek) were invited to present their activities and the honey bee health status in their respective countries. Participants exchanged on the small hive beetle infestation in Italy through the presentation of Dr. Franco Mutinelli (from the Italian NRL). Dr. Marc Schäfer (from the German NRL) presented an overview of the existing SHB detection and control strategies and Pr. Jeff Pettis (from USDA Bestville) presented the USA experience on SHB. The agenda also focused on the enhancement of diagnostic tools. Presentations are available for members of the network on the website.

♦ 25 December 2016 ♦ May the warmest wishes, happy thoughts and friendly greetings come at Christmas and stay with you all the year through! Merry Christmas to all of you!

♦ 13 December 2016 ♦ Contrarily to what had been previously announced, both the next workshop for rabies and the rabies serology meeting will not be held in Spain. Dates remain unchanged: 13-14 June for workshop for rabies and 14-15 June for the rabies serology meeting. Please accept our apologies for this change of destination beyond our will. We are currently working on another destination that should be announced very soon.    

♦ 09 December 2016 ♦ Further to the last inter laboratory test for rabies diagnosis, the EURL for rabies is currently conducting a satisfaction survey. The aim of this survey is to have direct feedback from the participant laboratories in order to improve the process on communication, proficiency test items, deadlines, final report and any other areas. Participant laboratories should have received a web link by email for that purpose: do not hesitate to give your opinion! Thank you to all the labs that already answered the survey.  

♦ 15 December 2016 ♦   The call for participation for the 2017 session of the inter laboratory test for rabies diagnosis has just be sent to every potentially interested laboratories. As usual, the test will have to be performed with one or several diagnosis techniques: FAT, RTCIT, Conventional RT-PCR and Real Time RT-PCR. The test is intended for EU National reference laboratory for rabies, and may be extended to other laboratories upon request and material availability.  

♦ 08 December 2016 ♦ The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) has renewed its website. It is now easier and quicker to find information, and the access to the agency topics (Food & nutrition, Occupational health, Environmental health, Animal health & nutrition, Veterinary medicine, Plant health & protection, Plant protection products and biocides & fertilisers) is possible under a simple click. More recent news appear on a dynamic picture window. The second part of the homepage is dedicated to the agency laboratories, opinions and reports, and gives an easy access to the last publications of the agency. Social networks have now a place of choice. Please note that this website is adapted for all type of screen, including smartphones.  

♦ 15 December 2016 ♦ This end of year the GARC has the opportunity to distribute free of charge “Want a Friend, Be a Friend”, a 14-page booklet chock full of fun activities that will help children learn how to behave safely around dogs. They are currently raising money for the booklet printing and you can help with this challenging opportunity. Please click here to see the video animation. Donation in a choice of currencies and track of the campaign's progress can be done here. Do not hesitate in sharing this news, it will help the campaign reach further.  

♦ 09 November 2016 ♦ Next annual workshop for rabies will be held in Spain on 13 and 14 June 2017 over 2 half days. You can already save the date for this exceptional rabies event!  Invited scientists from the EURL for rabies network will soon receive details of the meeting and the link to the online registration form. It will be also possible for interested scientists to attend the rabies serology meeting that will just follow the workshop for rabies. More details will be sent to participants by the end of the year.  

♦ 09 November 2016 ♦ Next rabies serology meeting will be held in Spain on 14 and 15 June 2017. If you are part of the rabies serology network, you can already save the date for this exceptional rabies event!