In his keynote address opening the International Meeting on Emerging Diseases and Surveillance on 13 February in Vienna the Chairman of ECDC’s Management Board endorsed the conference theme of “One World, One Health”. Professor Hubert Hrabcik, who is Chief Medical Officer of Austria and was elected Chairman of ECDC’s Management Board in November, said:

"I would title ECDC’s mission as 'one Europe, one health'. We are an agency that deals with human health, but we need to work side-by-side with our veterinary colleagues. Cross-sectoral work is vital. This means co-operation between scientists, public health officials, and indeed policy makers. It is only with support from the political level that we will reach our goal."

Speakers at the press conference on the first day of the International Meeting on Emerging Diseases and Surveillance, Vienna, 13 February 2009.

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