Glossaries

The collaboration across the different Activities (SOAs) of the European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare (EUPAHW) is considered essential to achieve common goals and strengthening the overall coherence and impact of the Partnership.

One challenge identified across EUPAHW, and more broadly within the animal welfare sector, is the absence of a shared vocabulary for key terms and concepts.

To address this need, SOA9 developed an animal welfare glossary.

The glossary is an independent work, intended to:

• Define a consistent terminology in animal welfare science and assessment.

• Facilitate communication among researchers, policymakers, competent authorities, farmers, industry representatives, and other stakeholders.

• Provide a common framework for connecting animal welfare outcomes with relevant environmental, health, behavioural, and management factors.

It was developed through a structured and collaborative process. An initial list of terms was compiled following a review of international glossaries and terminology used by organisations such as the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), as well as relevant scientific literature.

The initial list was subsequently reviewed, refined, and expanded by an editorial board involving experts from SOAs 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 22, together with representatives of Work Package 5 (WP5–CEED). This approach ensured that the glossary reflected a broad range of expertise and perspectives from across the partnership. During a series of meetings held in 2025, terms and definitions were reviewed, added, revised, or removed.

It was then consolidated in early 2026.

The resulting list contains 101 terms; each entry includes a definition, relevant references and, where appropriate, additional clarification or examples.

Designed as a dynamic resource than can evolve as scientific knowledge, policy needs, and animal welfare practices develop, the glossary aims to support knowledge exchange, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-informed decision-making across the animal welfare sector.