The 27th meeting of the Steering Group of the WOAH Platform on Animal Welfare for Europe (SG27) took place on 7–8 October 2026 in Teramo, Italy. The gathering brought together SG members and representatives from WOAH, the European Commission, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), World Horse Welfare and the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS), among others.
Chaired by Dr Galib Abdulaliyev, Vice-President of the WOAH Regional Commission for Europe, the event focused on reviewing work carried out since the 26th Steering Group meeting in April 2026 and discussing the remaining activities under the Platform’s 4th Action Plan (2024–2026).
The five Platform priority areas were also addressed: animal welfare during slaughter, dog population management, transport of animals, natural disaster management, and welfare of working equids. Progress in each area was considered alongside the work planned for the remainder of the current Action Plan.
A key part of the event was the development of the 5th Action Plan (2027–2029). Members reviewed proposed approach and activities, taking into account feedback from the 32nd Conference of the WOAH Regional Commission for Europe and the meeting of national focal points on animal welfare, and considered the next steps for its development.
The Group also checked the governance of the Platform and received an update on its 2026 financial report. At he same time, the meeting covered animal welfare coordination at regional and global level, including an overview of global WOAH animal welfare activities and a presentation by the European Commission on the latest developments concerning the EU livestock strategy and animal welfare activities.
The session also highlighted animal welfare initiatives and expertise, with the WOAH Collaborating Centre for Animal Welfare outlining its general activities in this field and its projects under the European Partnership for Animal Health and Welfare and insights into the Centre for Veterinary Disaster Medicine.
The SG27 wrapped up with a review of the main conclusions and next steps, as well as arrangements for the next Steering Group meeting.
