EU faces consequences if plans to drop animal welfare laws go ahead

The EU is considering dropping its plans for stricter animal welfare measures, the Financial Times reported today. Two years ago, the European Commission made an unprecedented commitment to end caged farming, in response to a referendum-like action by 1.4 million citizens. The citizens’ movement “End the Cage Age” warns that if the EU Commission goes ahead with its scandalous decision to drop the draft laws, it will betray the trust of its citizens. This will undoubtedly come back to haunt them.

The European Commission has committed to end the use of cages in animal farming, in response to the ’End the Cage Age’ European Citizens’ Initiative supported by 1.4 million Europeans, which Compassion in World Farming initiated and coordinated. This is the first such commitment since the EU introduced this participatory democracy tool over ten years ago.

Olga Kikou, Head of Compassion in World Farming EU and substitute representative of the ‘End the Cage Age’ European Citizens’ Initiative, said “The existing EU animal welfare laws are absurdly outdated, as the Commission’s own services have concluded during its long legislative review process. The Commission made a very firm commitment in response to our European Citizens’ Initiative. It is one of a kind and gave hope to millions of citizens across the EU. The mere fact that the EU Commission is even considering dropping its plans to update the animal welfare laws shows a scandalous disdain for EU democracy.”

In late June, an investigation by Politico revealed that the factory farming lobby in Brussels has a deep-rooted influence on the EU decision-making process. The lobby has bullied campaigners and has fearmongered politicians with faulty economic analyses.