EN
The concept of compartmentalisation of terrestrial animals in relation to their qualification for international trade was presented. The reason for the formulation of this concept was the difficulty of achieving and maintaining for notifiable diseases the free status of a disease for the entire country or its zone. Consequently this situation is interfering with international trade of animals and their products. The definition of the compartment according to OIE is as follows: one or more establishments under a common biosecurity management system containing an animal subpopulation with a distinct health status with respect to a specific disease or specific diseases for which required surveillance, control and biosecurity measures have been applied for the purpose of international trade. The fulfillment of the OIE requirements for the free status of OIE notifiable diseases within a compartment is more realistic than for the whole country or its zone, being a positive solution for international trade of animals and their products.