| Welcome |
In the various EU livestock and meat marketing channels, the livestock markets undoubtedly constitute a fundamental link. Indeed, any breeder wants to sell his product under the best possible conditions, and the live-stock market plays here an important role:
- by its very nature since it is a selling place where sellers and buyers meet in order to negotiate;
- by its function which is to group in a given place and at a given time an appreciable number of sellers and buyers and to enable them to deal under practical conditions.
The breeder can convey his animals to the market, while being sure to get offers, which he is free to accept or to refuse. The buyer, whoever he is (fattener, trader, slaughterer, meat wholesaler, meat processor), can buy the animals wished for very quickly without having to travel all over the open country since the market makes it possible to group a production very often dispersed.
This nature and this function give the livestock markets an economic role of primary necessity in a market economy such as it exists in the EU. Indeed:
- they contribute to the formulation of prices, which result from the free confrontation between offer and demand; consequently they are not only a barometer showing the trends on the livestock and meat markets, but also a reference for all operators of the livestock and meat sector;
- they are a reliable outlet for production, more especially as handling, sorting and forwarding centres on which fat livestock is sold for export or for slaughtering, and unfattened livestock is sold either for export or for fattening;
- showing the trends on the market they enable the breeders to determine the opportune time for selling their animals; consequently they contribute to insure the balance between offer and demand smoothly.
| News |
The European Livestock and Meat Trades Union (UECBV) announces that Dr. Karsten Maier will step down as Secretary General after six years of dedicated service, as he enters retirement.
The UECBV Board, Steering Committee, and member organisations extend their sincere thanks to Dr. Maier for his strong leadership and valuable contributions to the European meat, livestock and trade sectors. His commitment to the industry has been instrumental in promoting the sector's interests at the EU and international levels. We wish him all the best in his future personal endeavours.
UECBV is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Zeev Noga as its new Secretary General, effective 4 August 2025.
Dr. Noga is already well known within UECBV, having served as Veterinary Advisor from 2008 to 2012. During that time, he focused on critical areas, including animal health, animal welfare, and food safety. Zeev possesses a deep understanding of the sector, and has extensive experience in leading international multistakeholder secretariats, which will be key in guiding the UECBV's ongoing mission and goals. This marks an exciting new chapter for the organisation. UECBV looks forward to working closely with its members, partners, and EU institutions to continue advancing the European meat, livestock, and trade sectors.
Dr Zeev Noga is a global veterinary policy leader with over 18 years of experience in veterinary policy development at European and international levels. Between 2023 and 2025, Zeev served as the Secretary General of PREZODE, a global One Health initiative that aims to prevent, reduce and tackle zoonotic diseases through research, advocacy, and international collaboration. Between 2012 and 2023, he held various positions at the World Veterinary Association (WVA), including that of Executive Director. During his tenure, he actively worked towards addressing numerous veterinary issues, with a particular focus on fostering international collaboration to strengthen the veterinary profession globally. Additionally, he played a crucial role in promoting animal health, animal welfare, and public health worldwide under the One Health concept and approach. From 2008 to 2012, he served as a Veterinary Advisor at the European Livestock and Meat Trade Union (UECVB). His primary focus was on EU veterinary legislation and policies related to animal health, animal welfare, and public health. Zeev graduated from the Veterinary Faculty of Milan, Italy.
