Interbull Centre designated as European Union Reference Centre from 1 November 2018

The European Commission’s decision to designate the Interbull Centre as the European Union Reference Centre for the “scientific and technical contribution to the harmonisation and improvement of the methods of performance testing and genetic evaluation of purebred breeding animals of the bovine species” was published in the Official Journal of the European Union Issue L204/78, 5.8.2017.

New Animal Breeding Regulation

As a result of the new Animal Breeding Regulation (EU Regulation 2016/1012), the European Commission issued a call for the selection and designation of this European Union Reference Centre (EURC) in January 2017.

Following an application, review and selection process, the Swedish proposal by the Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket) and the Interbull Centre (Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)) was selected: The Interbull Centre shall assume its role as the EURC on 1 November 2018, at the same time as the new EU Animal Breeding Regulation (EU Regulation 2016/1012) shall come into force. Until that time, the Interbull Centre will continue its current role as "EU Reference Body for Zootechnics (Bovine Breeding)”.

The team at the Interbull Centre is proud to have produced such a good application, and looks forward to continue working with the European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG Sante). We wish to thank the European Commission, ICAR, INTERBULL, SLU and Jordbruksverket for their support and the trust they have placed in the Interbull Centre’s activities and capabilities.

Toine Roozen

Interbull Centre Director

August 15, 2017

For more information:

Official Journal of the European Union:http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2017.204.01.0078.01.ENG&toc=OJ:L:2017:204:FULL

European Reference Centre (EURC): http://www.interbull.org/ib/eurc