22nd Standing Group of Experts on African Swine Fever in Europe (SGE-ASF22)

The twenty second meeting of the Standing Group of Experts on African Swine Fever (SGE ASF22) was organised in the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (German animal virology reference laboratory) and Mecklenburg, Germany, by the SGE ASF Secretariat on the 8/9^th of April 2024. 21 SGE Member Countries from the European Region participated, for a total of over 90 participants in FLI and 75 in the field visits.

After a brief overview of regional activities from Asia Pacific and Europe, the new member countries briefly presented their national epidemiological situation regarding ASF.

Participants, including representatives of local German veterinary services, gave presentations of the opportunities and challenges in the use of fencing in control of ASF in wild boar, that were illustrated by field visits on the second day.

The SGE ASF22 were shown a set of recommendations. Amongst these, it was highlighted that:

1. Albania and Montenegro become full members of the SGE ASF, and as such participate in future SGE ASF meetings to share their experience and receive relevant guidance.  
2. Field missions by GF-TADs experts should continue in recently affected countries to rapidly provide support to the veterinary authorities. Interested countries should contact the SGE ASF secretariat.
3. The correct management of wild boar populations, through strategic fencing combined with targeted depopulation, and the reduction of the environmental viral load due to infected wild boar carcasses are key to prevent, control and eradicate ASF. Therefore, wild boar carcass search and safe disposal must be considered a cornerstone for ASF control. Best practices in relation to fencing and wild boar population management are described in Annex 1 of these recommendations. They should be duly followed.
4. Best practices for wild boar hunting management, biosecurity and safe carcass disposal are described in the ‘Handbook on African swine fever in wild boar and biosecurity during hunting”
5. Awareness campaigns should be carried out using all possible information modalities (e.g. face-to-face meetings, mass media, posters, leaflets, radio and TV shows). Different actors should be informed, including hunters and hunting associations, the general public through municipalities, non-governmental organizations, veterinary practitioners, forest workers & management bodies and seasonal workers to increase the acceptance and effectiveness of ASF control measures.

The SGE ASF agreed that the eradication of ASF from the European region remains the primary goal. In addition, participants agreed that while not all countries may possess the financial means for state-of-the-art fencing and technological solutions, there are universal principles applicable at the local level. These include understanding wild boar distribution, engaging key stakeholders in control measures, and launching public awareness campaigns.

The participation of a representative from the Asia-Pacific region offered valuable parallels in the global fight against ASF, shedding light on shared challenges and effective control strategies needing adaptation to local contexts.

The importance of cross-border cooperation emerged as a recurrent theme, particularly given the prevalence of shared land borders among member states. The movement of wild boars across these borders poses a significant risk for virus transmission, underscoring the necessity for collaborative efforts.

The collaborative spirit and exchange of knowledge fostered by the SGE on ASF remain useful in advancing efforts towards ASF eradication, both regionally and globally.

Final Report

Next meeting

• The twenty second meetings of the Standing Group of Experts on African Swine Fever (SGE ASF22) in Europe under GF-TADs is planned to be held in September 2024 in Ohrid, North Macedonia.

Presentations are available in the agenda below

Day 0 – 7th of April 2024 – from 19:30 – Berlin 

Day 1 – 8th of April 2024 – 07.00 – 17.00 – Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut

Day 2 April 9th, 2024 excursion to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Note: Departure from Hotel in Anklam

The list of SGE ASF members and prospective members is as follows:  Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo*, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro; North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine

* This designation is without prejudice to position on status, and is in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1244/99 and the International Court of Justice Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence