Delegates must get support because of their ever-growing obligations towards the OIE. The World Assembly of Delegates decided that National Focal Points should be nominated to assist the Delegate in his/her task on identified topics. The nomination and responsibilities of the focal points are under the authority of the OIE Delegate. Any information transmitted to the OIE from the different Focal Points needs to be transmitted under the designated authority of the OIE Delegate. This practice would equally apply, if Focal Points are located in other Departments or Ministries not under jurisdiction of the Veterinary Authority, as from a legal perspective, the OIE considers the official OIE Delegate to be the unique representative of the country.
Focal points are currently identified for information on animal diseases, wildlife, veterinary products, animal production food safety, animal welfare, aquatic animals, communication and laboratories. The specific tasks of each category of Focal Points are listed in their respective Terms of Reference. The purpose of the Terms of Reference is to facilitate consistency and harmonisation amongst OIE Member Countries in not only assigning responsibilities to the various Focal Points but also to better use their expertise to enable Delegates to comply with their rights, commitments and responsibilities.

How to nominate a new Focal Point?
Delegates are requested to officially nominate one National Focal Point for each of the mentioned topics by sending a specific form, duly filled and signed, to the email address: [email protected] . The form can also be faxed at the number: +33 1 42 67 09 87. Delegates are also requested to regularly update the OIE of any change of contact details of their National Focal Points and to immediately notify any appointment of new Focal Points. The regular updating of the OIE Headquarters is essential to ensure to transmit to Focal Points the information necessary for the realisation of their duties, as well as a successful communication about OIE activities.