The European Commission promised to publish a proposed revision of the EU’s animal welfare legislation this year, but we’re reaching the end of the year with no sign of this desperately needed update.

The lives of billions of animals, and the wishes of millions of European citizens, are being ignored. 637 stakeholders are calling on the European Commission President to deliver the committed, long awaited animal welfare legislative proposals, to address the inadequate and outdated legislation that fails to protect animals in Europe. The open letter, addressed to European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen, is signed by academics, researchers, veterinarians, scientists, entrepreneurs, farmers, and other stakeholders from several countries. The signatories, which include renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall and philosopher Peter Singer, reiterated that the current animal welfare legislation is heavily outdated and in need of an urgent update in line with scientific evidence and societal expectations. They called for a swift publication of a future-focused, comprehensive and fit for purpose proposal.

The EC committed to publish four proposals to revise the animal welfare legislation as part of its Farm to Fork Strategy. As the political term reaches its end in the upcoming months, the signatories are asking President von der Leyen to uphold this promise. A revised animal welfare legislation does not only provide for better protection of animals, but also for a level playing field for businesses across Europe, with support for farmers transitioning to systems with improved standards, while benefiting from fair competition when placing their product on the market. Finally, the revision is a crucial component to make the European food system fair, healthy and more sustainable. European citizens have highlighted the need for a uniform and adequate protection of animals, as made evident in the consultation run by the EC and in the five successful European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECIs) related to animal welfare, among which a call to transition to cage-free systems, and to ban fur farming in Europe.

Links:
You can help: send a message to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen here!

President von der Leyen: deliver the animal welfare proposal!

Public hearing: European Citizens’ Initiative “Fur-Free Europe”