The Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities (CETAF) is comprised of the largest natural history institutions of Europe. CETAF members are natural history museums, natural sciences museums, botanical gardens, universities or any other kind of biodiversity research centres that house natural history collections (plants, animals, fungi, rocks, minerals etc.) and conduct scientific research using them. It is the largest distributed taxonomy and natural history collections-based infrastructure in Europe. CETAF provides a Europe-wide collaborative network for collections and research in taxonomy and systematic biology to the scientific community. It represents the united voice for taxonomy and systematic biology within and across Europe. CETAF members are stewards of an invaluable heritage: our collections comprise over 1.5 billion specimens and represent over 80% of the world’s described species. It is our mission to secure this legacy for the future while making it available for current scientific research activities, exhibitions, training and environmental education initiatives, and connections to global biodiversity research.

CETAF raises awareness of the importance of taxonomy in exploring and documenting diversity in nature and understanding life on Earth. It is the largest European platform for communication about natural history collections and natural history sciences. CETAF leads the way in the development of innovative knowledge exchange pathways. It optimises training and taxonomy infrastructures for the next generations of taxonomists and fosters a culture of data sharing and open-access, promote digitalisation and digital access to collections. It ensures that the data and essential skills needed to identify, describe, classify and protect the natural world remain at the service of society.

CETAF works towards its goals collectively: promoting access to collections and associated data; ensuring data sharing and interoperability; and fostering taxonomy and taxonomic expertise in Europe. Information contained within the collections of CETAF institutions is fundamental to our current efforts to tackle issues that affect society at large (invasive species, climate change, food security and human health).

More information about CETAF, its activities and network at http://www.cetaf.org/