CRISIS MANAGEMENT

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• By Bernard Van Goethem
• Head of Unit
• Animal health and welfare, zootechnics

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• DEFINITION
• Crisis management prevents a crisis from
  becoming a catastrophe
• A crisis is like a virus, the effects can be
  sudden, insidious, infectious and extremely
  dangerous
• . and we know what viruses are!

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT
RAISON-DÊTRE

• We do not expect a crisis everyday but we do
  have to be prepared for a crisis to emerge
  everyday
• Crisis do not make appointments. They can occur
  anytime and under the most unfavourable
  circumstances.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT
RAISON-DÊTRE

• A crisis can threaten
• public, animal or plant health
• an entire industry/sector
• A crises may have unpredictable
  political/economic consequences
• A balanced approach is essential!

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT
THE MEDIA

• No comment is not an acceptable response to the
  media
• The media are generally open to take on board
  objective and science-based information and can
  be very helpful in communicating the Commissions
  message
• We must be proactive feed the media!

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT
THE MEDIA

• The proliferation of news media has led to local
  incidents becoming elevated to a matter of
  European importance or not simply because it is
  reported extensively or not
• The media is all but a disinterested party in
  crisis management.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• I. Pre-crisis actions and preparations
• II. The crisis unfolds
• III. After the crisis
• IV. In a Nutshell

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• PRE-CRISIS ACTIONS AND PREPARATIONS
• Crisis is no time to find yourself on a learning
  curve. Community measures and Emergency
  procedures are essential
• Planning requires that crisis can occur at any
  time. Nine out of ten crisis occur when you are
  asleep, probably after a late night or at a
  week-end!

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• PRE-CRISIS ACTIONS AND PREPARATIONS
• Pre-crisis actions costs are often (but not
  always) a tiny fraction of the losses that are
  typically incurred by crisis for which there has
  been inadequate preparation
• It is very easy to underestimate the damage a
  crisis can do and the costs it can have.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• PRE-CRISIS ACTIONS AND PREPARATIONS
• All animal health rules are harmonised at
  Community level and have to be managed by the
  Commission
• Community legislation exists in relations to
  actions to be implemented by MS in case of the
  occurrence of a major animal disease (FMD, CSF,
  AI, NCD)

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• PRE-CRISIS ACTIONS AND PREPARATIONS
• In the framework of the Directives for the
  control of diseases, Member States (MS) have
  Contingency Plans (CP) against major animal
  diseases (FMD, CSF, AI, NCD) ready to be
  implemented
• The CP must be regularly rehearsed and updated as
  necessary
• The FVO reviews CPs (strengths and weaknesses of
  MSs are more or less known)

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• PRE-CRISIS ACTIONS AND PREPARATIONS
• Preparedness at Commission level
• Emergency Procedures
• Staff awareness
• Network of experts for urgent meeting/advice
• Standard Commission Decisions (safeguard clauses)
  ready in all official languages

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• THE CRISIS UNFOLDS
• Implementation of the Emergency Procedures by the
  Commission and the Member States in relation with
  the disease, its potential spread and the risk
  factors (e.g. animal density) in the region
  concerned
• Information of the media who, what, when where,
  how and why (tell the truth!)

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• THE CRISIS UNFOLDS
• Appointment of a press contact person who is
  always available and ready to reply immediately
• Quick reaction in taking and repealing measures
• Dispatch of information in real time
• Consistency of information (everyone should have
  the same story)
• Development of a detailed chronology

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• THE CRISIS UNFOLDS
• The services/officials concerned ought to show
  flexibility and may have to stay late hours, work
  on week-ends or report their vacations
• The work-plans and tasks should be re-organised
  so as to allow for an effective management of the
  crisis and all its side effects (letters,
  briefings, working groups)
• Risk assessors and risk managers must work in
  strict co-operation!

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• THE CRISIS UNFOLDS
• Coordination between the Units and Directorates
  concerned is essential, so as to ensure that all
  the aspects of the crisis are being tackled (such
  as its international scope)
• Ensure that the concerns of third countries,
  international bodies, professional/trade
  organisations are tackled appropriately

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• THE CRISIS UNFOLDS
• Explanation to third parties and the media
  Regulations, Directives, Decisions (to be
  credible you have to be transparent and
  consistent!)
• Show sympathy for those affected by the crisis
  (do not underestimate the psychological and
  social consequences for the communities affected
  by the disease and the control measures

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• AFTER THE CRISIS
• Anticipate legal actions and probes from the
  Council and the European and/or National
  Parliaments
• Promote positive stories in the media
• Analyse the management of the crisis
• Update Emergency Procedures

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• IN A NUTSHELL
• Be prepared
• Sooner or later you may also be involved in a
  crises, which will involve a lot of extra work
• What is the most likely scenario for you/your
  service? Are you ready for it?
• The crisis may be worse than you expected!

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• IN A NUTSHELL
• Say the truth
• People and institutions do not like facing and
  managing crisis. This may lead them into
  half-truths, lies and evasions
• What is said to the media, to MS and other bodies
  needs to be updated and consistent

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• IN A NUTSHELL
• Be visible
• If the crisis is major, then Commissioner Byrne
  needs to be at the site of the crisis quickly and
  to be visible
• Failure to show sympathy will be punished by the
  media and by all members of the public and can
  destroy the reputation of the Commission

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Friday, 28 February 2003, 24h00
• The Netherlands (NL) inform the Commission of a
  serious suspicion of Avian Influenza (AI) in 6
  poultry farms (BE and DE are also immediately
  informed)
• AI can kill 95 of the birds in a farm in 24
  hours.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Friday, 28 February 2003, 24h00
• Council Directive 92/40/EEC on the control of AI
  and the Dutch contingency plans are implemented
  in NL
• The Commission advises the NL to establish a
  complete standstill of live poultry in their
  farms throughout the NL until Monday, 03 March
  2003

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Adapt Crisis Management to Crisis
• The Netherlands export 7 billion eggs per year
  and slaughter 1 million poultry per day for human
  consumption
• AI is an acute disease
• Managing an AI crisis in NL is therefore
  fundamentally different from managing one in
  Greece, or for other diseases

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Adapt Crisis Management to Crisis
• Disease control measures (e.g. standstill) have
  profound consequences on production/trade that
  cannot be ignored!
• All emergency measures adopted during the AI
  crises needed to be continuously adapted to the
  evolving epidemiological situation, balancing
  risks-costs/benefits and economic impact

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Communicate with Third Countries
• Throughout the crisis, in order to avoid
  embargoes by Third Countries, the Commission
  dispatched daily detailed information on the
  measures being taken to selected contacts in
  third countries, trade organisations,
  professional organisations, importers, etc.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Saturday - 01/03/2003
• The Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) of all
  Member States (MS), Commissioner Byrnes Cabinet,
  key SANCO officials as well as the Press Officers
  are informed of the situation via SMS
• The QA on the EUROPA web site is updated,
  including the public health aspect.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Saturday - 01/03/2003
• A safeguard measure is drafted on the basis of a
  model measure
• The Commission contacts its list of experts on
  AI, ready to help and advise the affected Member
  States.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Sunday - 02/03/2003
• The first laboratory results confirm the
  suspicion of AI in 12 farms
• The Commission sends an expert on the field to
  assists the Dutch Authorities.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Monday - 03/03/2003
• The Commission contacts and informs all the
  relevant services
• - the General Secretariat - the interested
  Directorate Generals - the translation services
  - the Official Journal
• to be ready to adopt during the afternoon a
  decision, and publish it the following day in the
  Hebdo.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Monday - 03/03/2003
• The Commission adopts Decision 2003/153/EC (in
  the OJ on 04/03/2003) - on the standstill of
  poultry in NL, except for poultry for immediate
  slaughter and day-old chicks (no measures on
  products)
• The Commission published its first press-release
  on AI.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Wednesday - 05/03/2003
• Extra-ordinary meeting of the Standing Committee
  on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH)
• The SCoFCAH issues a statement
• The Commission issues its second press-release on
  AI.

Culling in 17 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Monday - 10/03/2003
• Second extra-ordinary meeting of the SCoFCAH
• The SCoFCAH issues a second statement
• A chronology of events is published on the
  SANCO web site and updated regularly

750,000 birds culled in 39 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Wednesday - 12/03/2003
• Suspicion of AI in a broilers farms in Belgium,
  at the border with NL
• The Commission informs the MS and adopts Decision
  2003/173/EC on AI in Belgium
• The Commission issues its third press-release on
  AI.

1,625,000 birds culled in 90 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Thursday - 13/03/2003
• Third extra-ordinary meeting of the SCoFCAH
• Friday - 14/03/2003
• The Commission issues its fourth press-release on
  AI.

2,400,000 birds culled in 157 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Tuesday - 18/03/2003
• Fourth meeting of the SCoFCAH on AI, repealing
  the decision on Belgium
• Speech of Commissioner Byrne on the AI situation
  at the European Parliaments AGRI Committee and
  discussion at the AGRI Council
• The Commission issues its fourth press-release
  and statement together with Belgium.

3,500,000 birds culled in 229 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Tuesday - 25/03/2003
• Fifth meeting of the SCoFCAH on AI.
• Creation of buffer zones (firebreaks) in NL.
• Wednesday - 26/03/2003
• The Commission issues its sixth press release on
  AI.
• Number of SMSs sent by the Commission on AI 750
  SMSs

4,900,000 birds culled in 254 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Tuesday - 08/04/2003
• Sixth meeting of the SCoFCAH on AI
• AGRI Council in Luxembourg on AI
• The Commission issues its seventh press-release
  on AI.

7,200,000 birds culled in 527 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Wednesday - 09/04/2003
• The Commission issues its eighth press release on
  AI
• Tuesday - 14/04/2003 (night)
• Belgium informs the Commission of a serious
  suspicion of avian Influenza. Directive 92/40/EEC
  is implemented.

10,800,000 birds culled in 836 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Wednesday - 16/04/2003
• The Commission informs all MS of the suspicion in
  Belgium
• The Commission issues its ninth press-release on
  AI.

12,300,000 birds culled in 957 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Saturday 19/04/2003 (Easter)
• The Commission informs all MS, the Cabinet and
  the media of the death of a Dutch veterinarian,
  after a serious pneumonia probably linked to AI.
• SMS INFO to CVOs a vet, who didnt take
  antiviral drugs is suspected to have died from AI
  in NL. More info later. BVG

16,400,000 birds culled in 1,003 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Easter week-end
• The Commission organises a meeting with experts
  from MS and AS on 22/04/2003.
• AI is not a danger for public health (or not a
  danger for the general public after 19/04/2003...)

20,100,000 birds culled in 1,120 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Wednesday - 23/04/2003
• Seventh meeting of the SCoFCAH on AI
• Commissioner Byrne informs the Commission on AI
• The Commission issues its tenth press-release on
  AI.

22,900,000 birds culled in 1,203 farms
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Monday - 28/04/2003
• Commissioner Byrne meets Dutch Agriculture
  Minister and Secretary of Health
• Commissioner Byrne Participates in roundtable
  with Dutch farmers and representatives
• The Commission issues its eleventh press-release
  on AI.

25,000,000 birds culled in 1242 farms in
NL2,700,000 birds culled in 118 farms in BE
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Thursday - 01/05/2003
• The Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) carries out
  a 5-day mission to the NL to examine the
  implementation of the AI measures.
• Tuesday - 06/05/2003
• Eighth meeting of the SCoFCAH on AI.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Thursday - 08/05/2003 (night)
• Germany informs the Commission of a serious
  suspicion of AI in a poultry farm.
• Friday - 09/05/2003
• The Commission informs all MS of the suspicion in
  North Rhine-Westphalia
• Directive 92/40/EEC is implemented in DE.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Monday - 12/05/2003
• The Commission issues its twelfth press-release
  on AI.
• Thursday - 15/05/2003
• Ninth meeting of SCoFCAH on AI
• The Commission issues its thirteenth
  press-release on AI.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Friday - 16/05/2003 (night)
• Germany informs the Commission on negative AI
  laboratory results.
• Monday - 19/05/2003
• 71st of the Office International des Epizooties
  (OIE) in Paris general discussion on the OIE
  chapter for AI.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Friday - 23/05/2003
• Last outbreak of AI in NL
• Thursday - 27/05/2003
• The Commission issues its fourteenth
  press-release on AI.
• Friday - 28/05/2003
• Tenth meeting of the SCoFCAH on AI
• The Commission issues its fifteenth press-release
  on AI.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Wednesday - 11/06/2003
• Lifting of measures (except for surveillance
  zones) in BE.
• Friday - 13/06/2003
• Eleventh meeting of the SCoFCAH on AI.
• Wednesday - 18/06/2003
• The Commission issues it sixteenth press-release
  on AI.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Tuesday - 24/06/2003
• All safeguard and national measures are lifted in
  Germany.
• Tuesday - 24/06/2003
• The Commission issues its seventeenth
  press-release on AI.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• Tuesday - 01/07/2003
• Twelfth meeting of the SCFCAH on AI.
• Wednesday - 02/07/2003
• The Commission issues its eighteenth
  press-release on AI.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

• 2003 AVIAN INFLUENZA CRISIS
• 11 July 2003
• Lifting of safeguard and national measures
  (except for surveillance zones) in NL.
• 2003-2004
• Legal actions against the Commission?
• Probes by the Council and/or the European and
  national parliaments?

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

• Les Hommes ne voient la necessité que dans la
  crise
• Jean Monnet