{"id":114902,"date":"2024-05-21T13:18:50","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T11:18:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/?p=114902"},"modified":"2025-02-06T09:58:19","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T08:58:19","slug":"breaking-free-eeb-publishes-position-on-eu-animal-welfare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/en\/breaking-free-eeb-publishes-position-on-eu-animal-welfare\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Breaking Free\u2019: EEB publishes position on EU animal welfare"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today, the EEB launches its first <\/i>position paper on animal welfare<\/i><\/a>. The message is clear: the benefits of improving animal welfare across the EU will be transformative for our environment, people\u2019s livelihoods, and society at large. Without action, the picture looks far less rosy\u2026<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Failing to improve animal welfare in Europe undermines our health, with the overproduction of animal protein propping up unhealthy diets and leaving us at greater risk of disease outbreak and antimicrobial resistance.<\/p>\n

The intensive farms with the worst animal welfare records are also an important source of greenhouse house emissions and water, soil and air pollution.\u00a0 As such, improving animal welfare is an unavoidable step towards making our agri-food systems truly sustainable.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nothing new<\/b><\/p>\n

The connection between factory farming and our climate\/environment is <\/span>nothing new<\/span><\/a>. But for too long, this link has been swept under the rug and forced off political agendas by strategic, <\/span>targeted<\/span><\/a> and increasingly well-resourced lobbying <\/span>efforts<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Animal farming is not only subject to inadequate regulation; it also benefits enormously and <\/span>disproportionately<\/span><\/a> from EU agricultural subsidies. As such, <\/span>poor animal welfare<\/span><\/a> on Europe\u2019s farms is being artificially propped up \u2013 and actively promoted \u2013 by politically-motivated financing.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Europe\u2019s strongest consensus<\/b><\/p>\n

Under the EU Green Deal, this European Commission promised to revise the EU animal welfare legislation, shown by its own <\/span>Fitness Check<\/span><\/a> to be unscientific and outdated. It pledged to carry out this revision by the end of last year, to bring the Union\u2019s rules on animal welfare in line with not only scientific consensus, but also the demands of the vast majority of Europeans – over 90% of EU citizens consider the welfare of farmed animals to be important.<\/span><\/p>\n

As part of that revision, this Commission also committed to implementing the \u2018End the Cage Age\u2019 European Citizens\u2019 Initiative, which collected 1.4 million signatures in 2020. While a recent Eurobarometer showed that <\/span>almost 90% of people<\/span><\/a> in <\/span>all<\/span><\/i> member states are in favour of a ban on cage farming, that commitment remains <\/span>unfulfilled<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What we want<\/b><\/p>\n

In this paper, we have addressed all these different aspects, compiling an overview of the multiple reasons why the next European Commission must urgently address the EU\u2019s animal welfare crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Creating socially and environmentally sustainable food systems across the EU is essential to overcome the current climate, biodiversity and pollution crises, and addressing poor animal welfare. The overproduction and overconsumption of animal proteins is an inescapable part of the process.<\/span><\/p>\n

What the EEB is calling for (in brief):<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Reduce stocking densities on farms<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Phase out individual cages\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Introduce species-specific standards for all farmed animals<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Ban routine mutilations<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Ban force-feeding<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

    \u2018Food for Profit\u2019 screening<\/b><\/p>\n

    This evening, we gather at Cin\u00e9ma Galeries in the centre of Brussels for a screening of <\/span>\u2018Food for Profit\u2019<\/span><\/a>, a new documentary film exploring the vast business of factory farming in Europe, the widespread suffering inflicted on animals behind barn doors, and the creeping influence of Big Meat lobbies in the heart of Europe\u2019s political institutions. With screenings scheduled at the Cannes Film Festival this week, the film is already a major hit.
    \n__________________<\/span><\/p>\n

    -ENDS-<\/span><\/p>\n

    Notes to editors:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n