Insel Riems, 07.03.2018. On 5th March 2018 the Commission designated a first European Union Reference Centre for Animal Welfare. Following a public selection process, a consortium formed by the Wageningen Livestock Research (the Netherlands), the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Germany) and the Department of Animal Science at Aarhus University (Denmark) has been designated as EU Reference Centre. This first Centre will focus on pig welfare since improving the enforcement of the legislation of pigs is one of the Commission's priorities in the area of animal welfare. The Centre will provide technical support and coordinated assistance to the Member States to carry out official controls on animal welfare. It will also contribute to the dissemination of good practices, as well as carrying out scientific studies, training courses and disseminating research and information on technical innovations.
During the first year, the Centre will establish a network of national contact points (NCPs) across the member states. The network will identify relevant practical and scientific knowledge, as well as tools to support the development of national plans to stop tail docking. The Centre also aims to link training institutions at national level, and provide them with up-to-date information that can be passed on during their dissemination activities.
The specific tasks of the Centre will be defined in the annual or multiannual work programmes established in conformity with the objectives and priorities of the relevant work programmes adopted by the Commission. The designation of the Centre will be reviewed every five years.
On the part of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, the Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry located in Celle contributes to the Centre.
For further information contact:
Hans Spoolder (hans.spoolder@~@wur.nl)
Jan Tind Sorensen (jantind.sorensen@~@anis.au.dk)
Lars Schrader (lars.schrader@~@fli.de)
EU message: https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/welfare/eu-ref-centre_en
Legislation of pig welfare: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/AUTO/?uri=CELEX:32008L0120
