Non-foodborne zoonoses vary widely in terms of causative agents, modes of transmission, geographic distribution, and significance for human and animal public health. Since its creation, the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS) has received numerous requests for epidemiological data from French and European partners. Since such data were often unavailable or incomplete, public health resources were limited, and the issues were numerous, the InVS undertook a prioritization exercise in 2000 to establish a program of priority actions. Its objectives were first to identify priority non-foodborne zoonoses, and then to determine the measures to be implemented to improve knowledge, prevention, and control of these diseases. (Introduction)