The representative of Paraguay informed the Committee that the OIE had recognized Paraguay as free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) with vaccination. Vaccination for FMD had been stopped in 1999, with the objective of being recognized as free of FMD without vaccination, and a national commission for animal health emergencies established. When in August 2000 FMD-related problems were detected in neighbouring countries, mandatory vaccination had been reintroduced, but no FMD cases had been found, resulting in the OIE recognition. In addition, the European Communities had accepted that there was no geographical risk of BSE in Paraguay, since cattle were fed exclusively with grass.