SCAR Animal Health and Welfare (SCAR AHW)

Strategic objectives

• Through SCAR, support the European Commission in its AH&W legislation and policy.
  • Contacts with SCAR (Steering Group and Plenary), DGs RTD, AGRI, SANTE and MARE for updates on relevant policies and research needs; explore communication, dissemination and exploitation to gain impact.
  • Analyse complementarities and synergies with other SCAR WG.
• Bring together funders, experts and private partners in the European AH&W area.
  • Strengthen integration between animal health and animal welfare actors in Europe, incl. research consortia, sector organizations and industrial partners.
• Encourage the AH&W cooperation within countries.

Operational objectives

• Create and maintain a European AH&W forum: organize meetings, when possible aligned with other AH&W networks.
  • Links with ICRAD, STAR-IDAZ, DISCONTOOLS, EUP AH&W; as for the AW subgroup, with the three EU AW Reference Centres (incl. the planned Fish EURC).
  • Share info & experience within countries, encourage national/regional AH&W mirror groups.
• Tighten bonds with peer SCAR WG to look for complementarities (do more) and avoid overlap: SAP, Fish, AgroEcology, Food Systems.
  • To define the boundaries, in scope / out scope.
• Align AH&W research agendas.
  • Regular exchange of AH&W research priorities and other relevant activities; SR(I)A of EMIDA, ANIHWA, ICRAD and EUP AH&W.
  • Forward studies to timely recognize possible emergencies, preparedness, disease prevention and control.
• Search for relevant research funding opportunities.
• When requested (e.g. new trends/ monitoring & surveillance) or in case of emergencies, explore possible joint initiatives.

Planned activities

• Organise at least two plenary meetings including satellite meetings of subgroups Strategy & Foresight Unit and Animal Welfare.
• Update CWG members on the progress of the EU Partnership on AH&W.
• Share information on ongoing research activities and options for collaboration, and on emerging diseases.
• Maintain and consolidate interaction with international organisations (EFSA, WOAH, COST), industries (COPA and COGECA, Animal Health Europe).
• Continue liaising with large projects STAR-IDAZ IRC, ICRAD, DISCONTOOLS.
• Write position paper on relevant topics where applicable.

Page updated in November 2023