Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546037
MALTA has failed to regain its official disease-free status for bo- vine tuberculosis after a Europe- an Commission audit found the country's eradication efforts re- main insufficient. The audit cites weaknesses in surveillance, outdated plans and gaps in testing across cattle farms. Malta was declared officially free of bovine tuberculosis in March 2016. However, this status was suspended two years later after an outbreak was confirmed on a cattle farm in November 2017. The European Commission with- drew Malta's disease-free recog- nition in May 2018. Since then, Malta has been unable to provide the level of evidence required to demonstrate that the disease has been eradicated from its cow pop- ulation. The latest audit was car- ried out by two officials from the European Commission's Directo- rate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) between 13 and 18 March 2026. It concluded that Malta still lacks the "suffi- cient and reliable epidemiological data" needed to demonstrate that infection with the Mycobacteri- um tuberculosis complex (MT- BC) has been eliminated. MTBC includes Mycobacterium bovis, the main cause of tuberculosis in cows. Bovine tuberculosis is clas- sified as a listed animal disease under the EU's Animal Health Law because it can spread be- tween animals and humans. The latest audit identified sev- eral "major shortcomings" in the national control programme Although the official pro- gramme claims to cover all cattle holdings, auditors found that sur- veillance in practice has focused mainly on dairy farms. Smaller holdings involved in beef produc- tion or cattle fattening have been largely excluded from regular testing for several years. The re- port concluded that "the current measures taken by the veterinary authorities are not sufficient for Malta to demonstrate freedom from MTBC infection and regain its disease-free status". The audit also highlighted ad- ministrative difficulties affecting monitoring. In 2025, around 10% of dairy farms were not tested within the required 12-month pe- riod because of staff shortages and a major reorganisation within the Food Safety and Security Author- ity (FSSA). Auditors also found weaknesses in record-keeping, with veterinarians not consist- ently documenting skin thickness measurements taken during tu- berculin tests. This raised concerns over whether test results could be properly verified. Despite these shortcomings, the European Commission found that the risk to public health remains low. The report noted that there have been no confirmed MTBC cases in Malta since the 2017 out- break and that the country does not have wildlife reservoirs, such as badgers or wild boar, which can maintain and spread the disease in other countries. Public health safeguards include legislation prohibiting the sale of raw milk for direct consumption. Meat inspection procedures at Malta's two authorised slaughterhouses also remain in place to identify possible signs of infection in ani- mals entering the food chain. However, auditors warned that without more comprehensive surveillance, authorities cannot fully demonstrate that the disease has disappeared from the cattle population. The FSSA has acknowledged the findings and is reviewing the national eradication programme. To regain disease-free status, Malta must now demonstrate that 99.8% of cattle farms have remained free from infection for three consecutive years. 13 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 AUGUST 2026 NEWS NOTIFIKA T'INTENZJONI Liċenzja għal Reklutaġġ AGV HR Management Limited tiddikjara l-intenzjoni biex tirreġistra għal- Liċenzja tal-Impjiegi skont L.N. 270 tal-2023 Att dwar L-Impjieg Industrijali (Kap. 452) Regolamenti tal-2023 dwar l-Aġenziji tal-Impjieg. L-attivitajiet proposti jiffukaw fuq servizzi ta' reklutaġġ li jinkludu: 1. Konsultazzjoni dwar reklutaġġ. 2. Intervisti għall-impjieg, selezzjoni u xogħlijiet rakkomandati għal kandidati ideali skont il-ħtieġa marbuta ma' kwalifiki u esperjenza. 3. Reklutaġġ ta' persuni ġejjin minn pajjiżi barranin jew pajjiżi fl-Unjoni Ewropea biex ikollhom impjieg hawn Malta. 4. Reklutaġġ ta' persuni Maltin jew minn pajjiżi fl-Unjoni Ewropea. 5. Reklamar marbuta mal-bżonn t'impjieg vakanti. 6. Jinżamm reġistru t'applikanti għal kull impjieg. Indirizz uffiċjali reġistrat: AGV HR Management Limited, 41 and 42 Ta' Għadajma, Industrial Estate, Kirkop AGV HR Management Limited (C 108227) Liċenzja għal Xogħol Temporanju/Esternalizzazzjoni AGV HR Management Limited tiddikjara l-intenzjoni biex tirreġistra għal- Liċenzja tal-Impjiegi skont L.N. 270 tal-2023 Att dwar L-Impjieg Industrijali (Kap. 452) Regolamenti tal-2023 dwar l-Aġenziji tal-Impjieg. L-attivitajiet proposti jiffukaw fuq il-provvista tal-ħaddiema bil-ħsieb li jkunu disponibbli għall-parti terza li tinkludi: 1. Servizzi ta' xogħol temporanju li jinvolvu l-provvista ta' ħaddiema lill-parti terza. 2. Il-parti terza tassenja x-xogħol lill-ħaddiema temporanji. 3. Servizzi t'esternalizzazzjoni li jinvolvu l-provvista ta' ħaddiema lill- parti terza. 4. L-aġenzija tal-esternalizzazzjoni, inklużi l-kuntratturi u s-sottokuntratturi, tissorvelja, tidderieġi u tikkontrolla lill-ħaddiema. Indirizz uffiċjali reġistrat: AGV HR Management Limited, 41 and 42 Ta' Għadajma, Industrial Estate, Kirkop AGV HR Management Limited (C 108227) Malta fails to regain TB-free status for its cows European Commission auditors say outdated plans, limited farm testing and administrative shortcomings are preventing Malta from proving the disease has been eliminated from its cattle population but public health risk is low What is Bovine TB? BOVINE tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial disease that primar- ily affects cattle, causing progressive weight loss, respiratory illness and reduced productivity. Infected animals may eventu- ally need to be culled, resulting in economic losses for farm- ers and restrictions on livestock movements and trade. Bovine tuberculosis primarily affects cattle and only rarely infects hu- mans. Human infection is generally associated with prolonged close contact with infected animals or the consumption of un- pasteurised milk. Malta's ban on the sale of raw milk for direct consumption and routine meat inspection further reduce any public health risk. Despite these shortcomings, the European Commission found that the risk to public health remains low (File photo) JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt