Stakeholder meeting on the protection of Equidae: horses, donkeys and their hybrids

Background

In the framework of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the European Commission is working on a review of the EU animal welfare legislation, with the objective to update it in line with the latest scientific evidence, and ultimately increase the level of animal welfare. In this context, the European Commission asked EFSA to deliver by 2026 two scientific opinions on the protection of horses and donkeys and their hybrids, and a technical report on the keeping of Equidae (mandate M-2024-00006). The mandate covers in particular:

• breeding Equidae: Equidae kept mainly for breeding
• working Equidae: Equidae kept mainly for competitive, non-competitive, commercial, leisure or subsistence activity
• production Equidae: Equidae mainly kept for the production of meat, milk, or other substances and products of animal origin
• horses, ponies, draught horses, donkeys, mules and hinnies

EFSA’s task is to review the available scientific publications and possibly other sources to provide a sound scientific basis for future legislative proposals as well as operational guidance.

In line with EFSA’s commitment to openness and transparency, and in response to the growing public attention around animal welfare, EFSA has engaged with the interested parties throughout the risk analysis process concerning the welfare of Equidae. EFSA will proactively keep the stakeholders who have registered for this meeting informed of any future engagement opportunities regarding the mandate.

Scope and objectives

The aim of this technical meeting was to set the scene for an open and regular dialogue between EFSA and stakeholders from the early stages of the risk assessment. Stakeholders had the opportunity to learn about EFSA’s work on animal welfare and to engage in a technical discussion on the challenges and opportunities around this mandate, focussing on the available data and data sources that will inform EFSA's scientific advice. 

To ensure a fruitful discussion on all the aspects and species covered by the mandate, EFSA tailored the programme to include perspectives from stakeholder organisations that expressed their interest in participating in the meeting. 

EFSA reserved the right to screen and prioritise the requests to deliver a presentation to ensure a balanced representation of the different views in the programme.

Who attended?

The event was open to any stakeholder with expertise and an interest in the topic. To ensure effective dialogue and foster interaction, participation was limited to a maximum of 60 participants ensuring a balanced representation of the various fields of expertise, stakeholder groups and countries.

Logistical information

The technical meeting took place in Brussels, Belgium, for in-person attendance only.

Contact

For more information, please contact us at events [at] efsa.europa.eu (events[at]efsa[dot]europa[dot]eu).