Division 1.1

regularly receiving field samples from Member States and countries geographically or commercially linked to the European Union in terms of trade in animals of susceptible species or products derived from such animals with a view to monitoring the disease situation globally and regionally, to estimating and where possible predicting the risk evolving from emerging virus strains and particular epidemiological situations and determining the identity of the virus, where necessary in close collaboration with OIE designated regional reference laboratory and the WRL;