Protecting the welfare of animals is essential for Europeans, as shown by the results of a Eurobarometer survey published by the European Commission last Thursday, only two days after it adopted its 2024 work programme which put this topic on the back burner.
The work programme puts a strong focus on simplifying rules for citizens and businesses. The Commission underlined that over 90 % of the commitments made in the 2019 Political Guidelines have been delivered. “With only some months left until the European Elections in 2024, the new initiatives outlined in the work programme are limited to those still needed to deliver on the Commission's commitments, or to tackle emerging challenges.”
The Special Eurobarometer on animal welfare was conducted in March 2023. A representative sample of more than 26,000 respondents from all 27 EU member states were interviewed face-to-face. The results were supposed to have been published in time to serve as input to the Commission’s decision-making on the revision of EU’s outdated animal welfare legislation but arrived too late.
Despite the interviews being carried out during a month when food prices were already very high due to inflation, 60% of the respondents indicated that they would be willing to pay more for products sourced from animal welfare-friendly farming systems. Around a quarter (26%) would be ready to pay up to 5% more for animal-welfare friendly food.
However, animal welfare was conspicuously absent in Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of Union Speech to the European Parliament on 13 September. Executive Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič deprioritized animal welfare when he was questioned by the European Parliament on 3 October after the European Commission had nominated him in charge of the European Green Deal.
Referring to previous surveys from 2006 and 2015, he assured that he was aware of that all opinion polls show that “more than 80% of the people in Europe wants to see that we treat animals and nature better”. He blamed the stalemate in the revision of animal welfare legislation on the complexity of the file.
Animal welfare important for citizens
The new survey was commissioned by Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) to explore current public opinion about animal welfare and includes a number of topics, such as the importance citizens attach to protecting the welfare of farmed and companion animals and their eagerness to have more information about the way animals are raised, transported and slaughtered.
According to the Commission, the survey shows the importance of this topic for citizens across the EU. In fact, there is a slight increase in the already high figures in support of better animal welfare. A large majority of Europeans (84%) believe that the welfare of farmed animals should be better protected in their country than it is now.
Even companion (pet) animals need better protection. Almost three quarters of respondents (74%) support better protection of them. As regards the meat production chain, over 90% of Europeans consider that farming and breeding practices should meet basic ethical requirements.
These include offering animals enough space, sufficient food and water, environments adapted to their needs and ensuring proper handling. The results are in line with the support given by citizens to recent European Citizens Initiatives (ECI), such a prohibiting the use of cages for farmed animals (End the Cage Age) and banning fur farming (Fur Free Europe).
The survey also showed a high level of concern (88 %) for the welfare of animals in slaughterhouses, for example by increasing official controls, including with the use of video camera. This is perhaps the most outdated and controversial part of the legislation but the survey did not include any questions about the specific slaughter methods used for poultry, pigs, cattle and other farmed animals.
Furthermore, 83% support limiting the transport time of animals. According to the Commission, this is the most advanced part of the revision of animal welfare legislation and is the only one included in the work programme. There Vice-President Sefcovic promised a proposal by December 2023.
The Commission had also committed to act on the “End of Cage ECI” by end of 2023. Asked by The Brussels Times why the Commission had withdrawn this and other legislative proposals on animal welfare, a spokesperson reiterated last week the Vice-President’s explanation that the files were not yet ready and that more work needed to be done.
Political pressure behind delay
Animal welfare NGOs do not believe him and refer to political pressure from the European Parliament, in particular its largest group, the European People's Party Group (EPP), and differences of opinion between General Directorates in the Commission (DG SANTE and DG AGRI). All the preparatory work in form of impact assessments and scientific reports from the Commission’s expert agency were ready in time.
“The European Commission has had three years to work on the revision of the EU’s animal welfare legislation, known to be outdated and faulty, and to collect scientific opinions and evidence of public support, which has now been shown to be explicit,” commented Joe Moran, Director of European Policy Office at FOUR PAWS.
“The figures (in the Eurobarometer) show that citizens across all 27 member states are deeply concerned about the way animals are treated in the entirety of their lives,” he added.
“Such clear assertion cannot be ignored. Now is the time for the European Commission to get back on track, to recommit to publishing the three remaining proposals as soon as is feasible – to let the European Parliament and Council legislate on these important subjects, as is befitting in a democracy.”
Olga Kikou, Head of Compassion in World Farming EU, told The Brussels Times that the Commission has been working on the revision of animal welfare legislation since the beginning of its term in 2019. Already in May 2020 it announced the Farm to Fork strategy which included specific reference to the revision.
A lengthy evaluation/revision process followed which included consultations with hundreds of stakeholders, scientific opinions by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and a clear commitment to end the use of cages in farming in the positive response to the ECI. The potential impact of the proposal was presented to the Regulatory Scrutiny Board which issued a positive decision in mid-July.
“We believe that political forces are preventing the proposals from being published, rather than unfinished drafts,” she summarized. “The proposal to ban cages is drafted and ready to go and there is no good reason for any further delay. That’s why we stand behind the ECI Committee as they weigh up their legal options. The Commission must deliver for EU citizens now!”
“We very much welcome the publication of the latest official EU poll on animal welfare, as it shows what is common knowledge – Europeans care deeply about animals and nine out of ten Europeans support a ban on cages.”
M. Apelblat
The Brussels Times
