26 Jul 2023
Bosses claim regulators’ move to delist one of its French operations, which has now been upheld after a legal challenge, could put many practices at risk.
Allister Webb
Job Title
A major international veterinary firm has lost its bid to overturn the delisting of one of its French businesses in a row over governance and ownership structures.
IVC Evidensia has said it is now developing an alternative legal organisation following the ruling from the country’s highest administrative court, the Conseil d’Etat.
But it also wants talks with professional and government authorities following the decision relating to its Oncovet operation, which it claims could put “a large number” of practices at risk.
The company is calling for a working group to be set up to develop common interpretations of both the court’s decision and related laws.
Patrick Govart, president of IVC’s French clinics, said: “There is an urgent need to engage in a dialogue on the modernisation of the veterinary profession and to take better account of the aspirations of new generations of veterinarians.
“Failure to do so could have a serious impact on the continuity of veterinary care in France and on the services provided to pet owners.”
Oncovet is one of four companies that sought to challenge the decision of the Conseil National de l’Order des Vétérinaires (CNOV) to delist them – a move IVC claimed was purely related to its mode of governance.
But, in a ruling issued on 10 July, the court concluded CNOV could refuse registration to organisations that do not comply with laws governing the practice of veterinary medicine within a company framework and where its structures are deemed to undermine vets’ professional independence.
In a statement responding to the ruling, IVC said steps were taken prior to the hearing to ensure Oncovet could continue to operate regardless of the outcome, but argued that the decision did not reflect current trends within the profession in France, which have seen a fifth of all practices join what it describes as “veterinary networks”.
It also disputed the court’s view that delisting was permitted under EU law.
Two of the other companies affected by the decision are part of the AniCura group, which is under the same ownership as another of the UK’s largest veterinary firms, Linneaus. A Linneaus spokesperson said the decision did not affect its operations.
The ruling comes amid increased concern about the corporate influence on the UK’s veterinary sector, which has led to calls for a review of the 1999 rule changes that extended practice ownership rights to non-vets.
Earlier this month, the Senedd’s petitions committee agreed to hold an autumn hearing to examine the impact of corporatisation on services in Wales.
