Terms of Reference (ToR) for a Short-Term assignment

Technical assistance requested: 1 (one) Junior Non-Key Expert in the area of Negotiating Ch. 12 – Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Policy, National strategy for stray dog population management
Project Title: Policy and Legal Advice Centre (PLAC III), Serbia
Ref: EuropeAid/139295/DH/SER/RS
Service Contract No.: (CRIS) 2018/404-529
Main beneficiary: The Ministry of European Integration of the Republic of Serbia
Target Beneficiaries: Negotiating Group 12; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management – Veterinary Directorate
Budget Line/Expert Category: One Junior Non-Key Expert
Duration of the assignment: 20 working days from September 2023 until December 2023

1. Relevant background information

Background information in relation to the PLAC III project:

The scope of the PLAC III project is to provide support to relevant national institutions in charge of alignment of national legal acts with the Union acquis and to contribute to further building of capacities of relevant national structures for the successful carrying out of accession negotiations.

The PLAC III project should achieve two results:

RESULT 1- Enhanced compatibility of national legislation with EU legislation and its effective implementation

RESULT 2 – Enhanced capacities of the relevant national structures for the successful carrying out of accession negotiations

In general, the Project aims to foster the process of accession negotiations of the Republic of Serbia by supporting the effective alignment of national legislation with the Union acquis and its implementation and by further building the capacities of involved carriers of the EU integration process in the Republic of Serbia. Upon completion of the screening process in 2015, the Serbian public administration has entered into much more demanding and obliging exercises of accession negotiations, whereby each step and every decision should result in approaching actual membership in the EU. For this scenario to happen in accordance with planned dynamics, preparedness and adequate institutional capacity of public administration with highly competent staff are of crucial importance. In the core period of the negotiations, the PLAC III project shall support domestic line institutions and the negotiating structures both in the performance of quality operational work in relation to the harmonisation process and in the effective coordination during various stages and phases in the process for different negotiation chapters.

2. Background information in relation to Chapter 12 – Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Policy

In accordance with Art. 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) “the Union and the Member States shall, since animals are sentient beings, pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals, while respecting the legislative or administrative provisions and customs of the Member States relating in particular to religious rites, cultural traditions and regional heritage” in formulating and implementing the Union’s agriculture and internal market policies.

The European Parliament adopted the Declaration of 13 October 2011 on dog population management in the European Union (2013/C 710 E/05). The Declaration “calls on the Member States to adopt comprehensive dog population management strategies which include measures such as dog control and anti-cruelty laws, support for veterinary procedures including rabies vaccination and sterilisation as necessary to control the number of unwanted dogs, and the promotion of responsible pet ownership”.

Serbia is a member of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals. The majority of the EU Member States have ratified the Convention which contains provisions to protect pet animals, and seeks to establish a basic common standard of attitude and practice towards pet ownership, on breeding, boarding, keeping of pet animals and measures aimed at reducing the number of stray animals as a way of preventing the uncontrolled reproduction of stray dogs.

The European Union (EU) introduced a ban, effective as of 31 December 2008, on trade in cat and dog fur and products containing such fur (Regulation (EC) No 1523/2007) has contributed to limiting the risk of European consumers being exposed to buying cat and dog fur or products containing such fur. The rules of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases cover animal diseases in all kept animals including pets in some cases. While its rules do not directly cover animal welfare the link between the health of the animals and their welfare is recognised and taken into account when considering the impact of disease.

In accordance with the EU Strategy for Protection and Welfare of Animals (2012-2015) the European Commission financed a Study on the welfare of dogs and cats involved in commercial practices in 2015. The Study indicates a number of issues, such as varying levels of protection of animal welfare under national legislation governing breeding and dealers activities in Member States, the consumer’s woeful lack of knowledge about the level of responsibility they are about to undertake and over the costs, often significant, of keeping an animal, etc.

Stray dog management is relevant to the overall EU system of animal health and welfare remains high on the EU agenda due to severe problems that some of the Member States are facing and it is expected to be addressed under the new EU animal welfare strategy.

Indeed, zoonotic diseases transmitted by this category of animals include, not only rabies and other viral diseases, but also parasitic and bacterial diseases. Emerging and re/emerging animal diseases, rabies in particular which is notified in some EU Member States in recent years, could significantly change the epidemiological and epizootiological situation in Europe, especially if a huge population of stray dogs is affected by this zoonotic agent. Stray dogs and cats may experience poor welfare, hunting for food, competing for limited resources and lack of veterinary care which results in malnutrition, injury and disease. Furthermore, stray and feral dogs pose a serious threat to human health, animal health and animal welfare problems and have a socio- economic, environmental, political and religious impact in many countries. Human health, including the prevention of zoonotic diseases (e.g. rabies, echinococcosis, Leishmaniosis), is a priority.

These issues are, to a significant extent, present in Serbia as well. The welfare of stray dogs and other stray or feral animals is often poor in Serbia but also in other European countries. There are also human health and wildlife problems resulting from the presence of stray dogs and cats. Therefore, it is necessary to recognise the importance of controlling dog populations without causing unnecessary animal suffering, and to develop long-term, sustainable strategies to deal effectively with stray animal populations, all of which require a comprehensive and coordinated programme. A number of measures must be implemented, including owner education, environmental management, compulsory registration and identification of dogs and cats, controlled reproduction of pets and the prevention of over-production of pets through regulated breeding and selling. For all these elements, effective and enforced legislation is needed, but also the involvement of more than one authority, commitment and willingness of governmental services, local authorities, veterinary services, breeders’ association and civil society organisations (CSOs) to work together.

Although national legislation for animal welfare is well developed and aligned with the acquis, namely the Law on Animal Welfare and secondary legislation developed on the basis of this law, stray dog management is not covered. There are other regulations which involve the topic of stray dogs (e.g. laws and regulations covering community hygiene), and which designate responsibilities to authorities other than veterinary authority (e.g. local administration).

Тhe draft of the National strategy for stray dog population management was prepared with the support of the EU-funded project “Reinforcement of animal health and welfare”. The draft National Strategy for Stray Dog Population Management is developed in line with the key pillars of dog population control and in line with the 7.7 Chapter (Stray dog population control) of the World Organisation for Animal Health  (founded as OIE), International Companion Animal Management Coalition (ICAM) Humane Dog Population Management Guidance, ICAM Dog indicators document and best practices of the EU Member States compliant with the Declaration of the European Parliament and the principle set in Art. 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

Expert support under this activity is needed to assist the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management – Veterinary Directorate in the fine-tuning of the existing draft strategy.

At present, there are no ongoing or planned assistance projects for the activities covered by this ToR.

3.  Description of the assignment:

3.1 Specific objectives

The specific objective of this assignment is to assist the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management (MAFWM) in the fine-tuning of the draft National Strategy for Stray Dog Population Management to adjust it to the methodological requirements of the Law on the Planning System of the Republic of Serbia to ensure its correct and effective implementation in consistency with OIE and ICAM guidance and with aims set in the EU Strategy for Protection and Welfare of Animals (2012-2015), Declaration of the European Parliament (2013/C 710 E/05), Art. 13 of the TFEU and Union acquis applicable to animal health and welfare.

The expert is expected to cooperate closely with the representatives of the Veterinary Directorate of the MAFWM that is in charge of the field of animal welfare and National strategy for stray dog population management.

3.2  Requested services

The Junior NKE in the area of veterinary policy is expected to provide the following services:

• Assist the MAFWM in fine-tuning the draft National strategy for stray dog population management to adjust it to the methodological requirements of the Law on the Planning System of the Republic of Serbia while safeguarding the consistency with the relevant Union acquis.

3.3  Outputs

The Junior NKE is expected to deliver the following outputs:

• The draft of the National strategy for stray dog population management modified in accordance with the methodological requirements, drafted

3.4  Reporting

The Junior NKE shall provide the following reports by using the templates of the Project:

• A Final Mission Report, no later than 1 week after the completion of tasks under this This report will include a description of all activities and outputs provided by the JNKE in the context of this assignment;
• A brief Interim Report – only upon request of the PLAC III team: TL and/or Submission of reports:
• A Final Mission Report prepared in the agreed quality shall be submitted to the Team Leader of the Project for review, comments and final approval;
• The reports shall be signed by the JNKE and the Team Leader, responsible for endorsing the reports;
• The reports and all prepared documents shall be submitted in a hard copy and electronic version to the Team Leader of the Project.

3.5  Specifics

The JNKE shall work under the guidance and follow the instructions of the Team Leader. The JNKE shall collaborate with the Project team, other experts involved and representatives of the relevant beneficiary institutions.

For each of the short-term missions, the timing and duration shall be agreed upon with the Beneficiary and the PLAC III team prior to each planned mission.

3.6  Expert input

3.6.1 Total working days

20 working days (WDs) in total have been planned for the Junior Non-Key Expert for this assignment.

3.6.2  Period of the assignment and starting day

It is expected that the work will be performed through several missions during the period from September 2023 until December 2023. However, the starting date will be confirmed at a later stage.

3.6.3  Location/place of assignment

The JNKE must deliver 100% of the input in Serbia.

3.6.4  Working language

English

4.  Experts’ profile – Junior NKE (20 working days):

4.1 Qualifications and skills (25 points)

• A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least 4 years, attested by a diploma such as law, economics or similar, relevant to the assignment;
• Computer literacy;
• Proficiency in report drafting;
• Excellent communication and analytical skills;
• Proficiency in the English language;
• Independence and freedom from conflicts of interest in the undertaken responsibilities.

4.2  General professional experience (25 points)

• At least 5 (five) years of general postgraduate professional experience related to the Union acquis, gained in an EU Member State, candidate or a potential candidate country,

4.3  Specific professional experience (50 points)

• 2 (two) preferably 3 (three) years of postgraduate professional experience in drafting and/or implementing legislation and/or policy documents in relation to the Union acquis in the area of animal welfare;
• Knowledge of the Serbian legal system will be an advantage.

5.  Applications 

Applications (EU format CV and application letter in English) need to be submitted by e-mail no later than 8 September 2023 17:00 hrs, titled:

“Application for the position – Junior Non-Key Expert in the area of Negotiating Ch. 12 – Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Policy, National strategy for stray dog population management”.

References must be available on request. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Pre-selected experts will be requested to sign a Statement of Availability (SoA) in which they acknowledge and confirm their availability to accomplish this assignment within the indicated period, at the indicated starting date and within the number of working days requested.

The Project is an equal opportunity employer.  All applications will be considered strictly confidential.

Advertised posts are not available to civil servants or other officials of the public administration in the beneficiary country, Serbia.