The Commission is calling for applications from business and professional organisations, organisations from civil society and independent experts from academic and research institutes with expertise in animal welfare. The call has opened today and will run until 06 March 2017 at the latest.

The expert group on animal welfare ('the Platform') was set up by Commission Decision C(2017)280 of 24 January 2017. The platform will assist the Commission with the development and exchange of coordinated actions on animal welfare with a particular focus on:

• better application of EU rules on animal welfare, through exchanges of information and best practices and the direct involvement of stakeholders,
• the development and use of voluntary commitments by businesses to further improve animal welfare,
• the promotion of EU animal welfare standards to valorise the market value of the Union's products at the global level.

All relevant information and documents are available on the Register of Commission expert groups and other similar entities.