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Food Safety

EU Platform on Animal Welfare

About the platform

One of the key priorities of the Commission is to promote an enhanced dialogue on animal welfare issues that are relevant at EU level among competent authorities, businesses, civil society and scientists.

To achieve this goal, in 2017 the Commission established the expert group 'Platform on Animal Welfare' (Decision 2017/C 31/12) with the aim to develop and exchange of coordinated actions on animal welfare with a particular focus on:

  1. better application of EU rules on animal welfare, through exchanges of information and best practices and the direct involvement of stakeholders,
  2. the development and use of voluntary commitments by businesses to further improve animal welfare,
  3. the promotion of EU animal welfare standards to valorise the market value of the Union's products at the global level.

In November 2019, the Commission extended the period of application of the expert group until 30 June 2021 (Commission Decision of 29 November 2019). This extension ensured the continuity of the activities and dialogue between the Platform members.

In May 2021, the Commission adopted a Decision renewing, until 30 June 2025, the mandate of the Platform on Animal Welfare (Decision 2021/C 185/04). 

Within eight years of its functioning, the Platform has become a widely recognised forum for keeping an open dialogue on animal welfare, sharing good practices and undertaking non-legislative initiatives, with the commitment of Member States’ and relevant stakeholders across the Union, aimed to improve the welfare of animals. The Platform played a significant role in consultation of stakeholders in the phase of preparation of the animal welfare legislative proposals adopted by the Commission on 7 December 2023 (Proposal on the protection of animals during transport and Proposal for new rules on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability).

The current mandate of the Platform expires on 30 June 2025. In order to ensure the continuity of the Platform's activities, the Commission is preparing a Decision extending the mandate of the Platform. Therefore, the consultative role of the Platform will continue to provide contributions for any initiative on animal welfare and for the modernisation of the animal welfare legislation.