High-level meeting on Avian Influenza and flu pandemic

On June 7, the European Commission will take part in an international senior officials meeting on Avian influenza and human flu pandemic, hosted by the Austrian Presidency in Vienna. The meeting is being held as a follow-up to the international donors conference in Beijing, China in January 2006.

The meeting will aim to follow up the January conference in Beijing, where international governments and organisations made financial commitments of some 1.9 billion US dollars. On April 28 the Commission announced that it is well on track to mobilise the €100 million it pledged at the conference. Funds pledged will help poorer countries tackle bird flu in the animal population and increase preparedness for a pandemic.

The meeting will furthermore be an opportunity to update participants on the global situation of the disease and on research into antivirals and vaccines. Participants and speakers are expected from the Austrian Presidency, United Nations, the US, the Chinese government, the African Union and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.