Belgium and other European neighbouring countries faced several emerging and re-emerging diseases as well as zoonotic diseases over the last decade. However, it has been noticed that during these episodes, the laboratory diagnostic capabilities were surpassed, which led to an increase in the time required for the control and the eradication of these diseases. Belgium is a European hub and can be affected by these diseases which can via different paths e.g. trade of live animals or animal products from around the world or via wildlife. It is therefore crucial to react rapidly to these diseases, to establish contingency plans and to develop appropriate diagnostic tests. Moreover, there are only few publications looking at the issues of increased diagnostic capacities for epizootic diseases based on ; Risk-based increase of diagnostic capacities for epizootic diseases in Belgium