The science–policy interface on farm animal welfare in the EU

The EU’s agri-food sector is highly regulated, with animal welfare (AW) science gaining importance for ethical, sustainable, and evidence-based policies. Despite significant advances in both regulation and research, important gaps remain between the farm animal welfare scientific and policy domains. Therefore, the Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR) Collaborative Working Group (CWG) on Animal Health & Welfare (AHW) commissioned a study to map barriers and pathways and identify best practices to improve policy uptake of AW research, and align research with EU policy needs.
The study examined how the EU science–policy interface on farm animal welfare currently operates and how it can be strengthened. Therefore, an interview protocol comprising thirteen questions on the current EU AW science-policy interface was developed. Interviews were conducted with 20 key experts representing a wide range of stakeholders, including four from different Directorate-Generals within the European Commission (EC), two from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), one from the EU Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare (EUPAHW), four from EU Reference Centres for animal welfare (EURCAWs), two from the SCAR CWG AHW Subgroup on Animal Welfare, four from regional or national research institutes, one from Eurogroup for Animals, one from COPA-COGECA (the voice of farmers and agri-cooperatives in the EU), and one from AVEC (the voice of Europe’s poultry meat sector). The interviews were analysed following the framework of Miles and Huberman (1994) to ensure systematic interpretation of the data.
This analysis provided a clear picture of the current state of affairs and highlighted opportunities for improvement. Firstly, this report examines existing hubs, highlighting key enablers and barriers for the AW science-policy interface, and giving dedicated attention to fish welfare policy, which remains only marginally addressed within livestock-focused hubs. Secondly, it presents policy recommendations across four domains: governance and coordination; research structures and funding; knowledge gaps and data; and societal and economic awareness. Thirdly, it suggests directions for policy-driven research, emphasizing project design, collaboration and co-creation, and the translation and uptake of research outcomes. Finally, it outlines possible pathways for developing a toolkit to strengthen science–policy knowledge transfer.
The insights from this study are intended to guide both policymakers and researchers in advancing future farm animal welfare regulations, reinforcing the central role of science–policy collaboration in shaping the future of animal farming in the EU.