The Flemish Parliament has passed a new animal welfare code, championed by Minister for Animal Welfare Ben Weyts (N-VA).
Support from the opposition was necessary as coalition partners Flemish Christian Democrats CD&V and Flemish liberals Open VLD objected to the status quo principle in the decree. The principle asserts that animal protection cannot deteriorate, but both parties have warned about the legal impact of this and therefore wanted to remove it from the code.
Several members of CD&V either abstained or voted against the text, which nonetheless received approval from the Flemish Parliament.
According to Weyts, the code represents "the icing on the cake" of Flanders' animal protection policy: "For some, the code goes too far, for others not far enough. Yet, I am a man of my word and this code is a huge step forward for animal welfare."
The Flemish code consolidates existing rules and new ones; it notably bans animal markets and home-slaughtering of certain animals, such as pigs, sheep and goats.
It also foresees the eventual end of hen cages, as farms will gradually replace these with aviary systems. By 2036, hen cages will no longer be tolerated in the region.
The code replaces Flanders' 40-year-old animal welfare legislation. It advocates for the belief that every animal is a sentient being with specific needs and intrinsic value. This implies that animals must be adequately protected and any negligence towards them should be punished.
