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Abstract
This dissertation aimed at examining the potential gains and main challenges for further cross-border collaboration in contagious livestock disease management within the cross-border region of the Netherlands (NL) and the two German states of North Rhine Westphalia (NRW) and Lower Saxony (LS). The dissertation's under- lying assertion was that further cross-border collaboration can mitigate the veterinary and, especially, the economic impacts of existing (in peacetime) and emerging (during crisis situations) borders between NL and NRW–LS, without compromising the economic advantages of cross-border trade and without increasing veterinary risk.
The cross-border region of NL-NRW-LS is a large and highly integrated livestock production area and increasingly develops towards an epidemiological area in which disease introduction is a shared veterinary and, consequently, economic risk. This dissertation shows that a further increase in the cross-border production dependency due to changes in the livestock production structure is likely. These developments change the likelihood and impact of contagious livestock diseases.
Potential gains for further cross-border collaboration in contagious livestock disease management are (i) peacetime collaboration to mitigate the economic impact of routine veterinary measures related to cross-border livestock trade, and (ii) crisis time harmonisation of, and collaboration in current contagious livestock disease control to mitigate economic consequences. Main challenges for further cross-border collaboration are (i) improving the quantity, quality and speed of cross-border communication between countries' veterinary authorities and ministries, and (ii) keeping pace with the increasing globalisation of trade flows through implementing tailor-made institutional settings and harmonising organisational responsibilities.
In peacetime, both NL and Germany (GER) have several possibilities for reducing the economic impact of existing borders, i.e., through mitigating costs of additional, veterinary cross-border measures, without increasing veterinary risks. Most cost savings can be realised by relaxing measures related to slaughter broilers (GER) and slaughter pigs (NL). For crisis situations, the contagious livestock disease classical swine fever (CSF) was used as example. Only limited possibilities exist to mitigate the veterinary impact of CSF through further cross-border harmonisation and collaboration. This is mainly due to changes in the production structure of livestock. However, this dissertation shows that there is still a substantial scope for mitigating the economic impact of CSF through further cross-border collaboration, particularly the impact resulting from market disruptions. For example, CSF induced market shocks can be mitigated through the channelling of trade flows within a cross-border context.
Nevertheless, country-specific differences in contingency planning limit further crossborder harmonisation of contagious livestock disease management, implying the continuation of existing (in peacetime) and emerging (during crisis situations) borders. A common information- exchange platform, i.e., borderless information exchange, is the basis for more intensive cross-border collaboration.
