This Thursday, 12 September, the meat federations, veterinary organisations and the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) gathered to formalise the signing of the Pax Veterinaria Convention at the office of the Minister of Agriculture, David Clarinval.
The Pax Veterinaria Convention, valid until 31 December 2028 from the date of signature, aims to organise more efficiently the official inspections carried out by self-employed veterinarians tasked with official missions. This convention introduces key improvements to strengthen expertise and ensure fair remuneration for the veterinarians tasked with missions, while keeping costs reasonable for the sectors concerned.
The main points of the convention include:
- Revision of fees and allowances: A gradual increase in fees will be implemented until 2028 to reflect the real costs of expertise, with annual adjustments and specific bonuses. Specifically, by 2028, the hourly remuneration of self-employed veterinarians tasked with missions will increase by €17 per hour in addition to the annual indexation, gradually rising from the current €58 to €75. As a reminder, between 2022 and 2023, this remuneration had already increased by €4. In addition, better compensation for travel and greater attention to the veterinarian's well-being allow for an overall improvement in working conditions.
- Continuity of expertise: Commitment from veterinary associations to support service continuity without disruption to the meat sector and FASFC;
- Review and optimisation of expertise: A new royal decree will be introduced to improve expertise guidelines, based on input from stakeholders;
- Encouraging new self-employed veterinarians to join: An integrated action plan will be developed to encourage the recruitment of new veterinarians tasked with missions, thereby strengthening the pool of available experts.
Minister Clarinval highlights the importance of the convention: “This is a historic agreement! Pax Veterinaria is the result of lengthy negotiations, ongoing since late 2021, and ensures good cooperation between veterinarians, FASFC and the sectors. I am very pleased with this convention, which delivers real improvements for veterinarians, including the increase in fees, in exchange for which the sectors will benefit from an optimised service.”
