In March and April 2025, Slovakia grappled with multiple outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle farms, primarily in the Dunajská Streda district near the Hungarian border, with a further case in the Malacky District close to Austria. Concurrently, Hungary faced four outbreaks on farms near the Slovakian border.
Faced with this biosecurity threat, Slovakia declared a state of emergency on 25 March. To curb the spread of the disease the government sought assistance from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) on 22 March, requesting three chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) decontamination teams and 10 specialised trucks, later adding a request for two more decontamination gates.
Austria was the first to respond, offering its certified CBRN decontamination team, registered since 2024 in the European Civil Protection Pool. This offer was formally accepted on 24 March, thereby facilitating an immediate and coordinated response to the unfolding crisis. The Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit (AFDRU) remarkably exemplified international cooperation. As part of the CBRN decontamination team, a contingent of 52 personnel and 19 vehicles from the Austrian Armed Forces journeyed into Slovakia to establish a base of operations in Gabčíkovo.
Knowing that this was the first CBRN-related deployment of the UCPM filled us with pride and simultaneously encouraged us to deliver a strong professional performance.
From 26 March to 5 April, the deployed teams operated with high efficiency, decontaminating over 6 000 vehicles at the pivotal Rajka border crossing with Hungary.
The extensive decontamination efforts were crucial in containing the spread of FMD in Slovakia and the success of this operation can be attributed to the strong cooperation and coordination among national and international response teams. These efforts not only tackled a significant public health threat but also highlighted the effectiveness of cross-border collaboration among diverse response units in managing complex CBRN challenges.
