In the European Union, Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 applies to the transport of animals that takes place within and from the EU in connection with an economic activity. A vast range of animal species are transported within the EU and beyond for commercial activities, but the Transport Regulation does not guarantee effective protection to all of them. The majority of its provisions refer only to the welfare of certain terrestrial farmed animal species: the requirements for the transport of fish, companion animals and equines are less developed; and measures to ensure the welfare of a large group of species transported for scientific purposes are completely absent.

This white paper is Eurogroup for Animals’ response to the European Commission’s stated aims in revising the Transport Regulation: “to align it with the latest scientific evidence, broaden its scope, make it easier to enforce and ultimately ensure a higher level of animal welfare”. As a general principle, the revised Transport Regulation should adhere to the basic principles of reducing, refining and replacing live transport, whenever applicable.

Originally published in 2021, this white paper received an update in 2024 to factor in recent European Food Safety Authority opinions on live transport, the results of the 2023 special Eurobarometer on animal welfare and more.

This updated version also includes a critical analysis of the European Commission’s recent proposal for a revised regulation on the protection of animals during transport and related operations.

In 2016, the World Organisation for Animal Health stated that 101 out of 116 surveyed countries had reported having major animal disease outbreaks since the year 2000. Over 350 outbreaks were reported, with over a quarter being avian influenza.

This report is an analysis of scientific studies and reports on the impacts of avian influenza and other notable zoonoses on society. It explores the link between low animal welfare standards and public health - highlighting how the financial and societal impacts of these outbreaks should not be ignored - and outlines the steps that need to be taken to prevent the ongoing infectious disease crisis affecting both animals and humans.

This White Paper details part of Eurogroup for Animals’ response to the outdated animal welfare legislation, which includes the Council Regulation 1099/2009 (Slaughter Regulation). The Slaughter Regulation entered into force in 2013 and, already at that time, the co-legislators stressed that, as scientific and technical progress is regularly made with regard to the construction, layout, and equipment of slaughterhouses, and with regard to the handling and restraining of animals, it was important to authorise the European Commission to amend the requirements applicable in these regards.

Eurogroup for Animals believes that a comprehensive approach is needed to ensure that the equipment used and procedures followed in slaughterhouses do not cause unnecessary fear, pain and distress to farmed animals.

A cache of unpublished records obtained in summer 2023 reveals disturbing new evidence on the extent and nature of the EU’s trade in farm animals.

The data comprises official planning records relating to more than 180,000 consignments of animals, moving between EU countries and to non-EU countries between October 2021 – April 2023. It clearly shows that the rules for live transport are not robust or detailed enough to truly protect the welfare of animals in the sector.

A joint report by Eurogroup for Animals and Compassion in World Farming.

This scientific declaration contains signatures from scientists and academics across various fields who consider that the available body of evidence regarding insect biology, sentience, and welfare is sufficiently strong for policymakers and insect producers to regulate and implement evidence-based welfare measures.

As of November 2023, ten species of insect are currently authorised (or are pending authorisation) to be farmed in Europe. While the insect farming industry is rapidly developing and is already rearing insects by the billions, clear rules on their welfare are still missing due to lack of research and interest from policymakers.

This report explores one critical welfare consideration that is currently being overlooked: the diets of farmed insects. It describes what each species is being fed on insect factory farms in the EU, and offers recommendations for improvement. Ultimately, through positive diet change, this research aims to improve farmed insects' quality of life in a rapidly-expanding sector that shows no sign of slowing down.

Foreword by Eurogroup for Animals. Report by Dr. Helen Lambert and Dr. Amelia Cornish.

Eurogroup for Animals commissioned Human Behaviour Change for Life (HBCL) to write this report: ‘Business case: the benefits of a carcass over a live animal trade’.

This document considers the business case for a change to the export of carcass meat instead of live animals from the European Union (EU) to third countries. It includes the current economic, environmental, and societal challenges and opportunities that these different approaches present.

The research provides a unique insight into the costs of the trade through the development and use of innovative modelling, frameworks, case studies and evidence-based approaches. It enables the consideration of how a move from live animal export towards a meat and carcass trade could be advantageous for the agricultural sector, the environment, and wider society.

In this Position Paper, we explain how we’d like the EU to address the issue of day-old poultry culling, which namely affects ducklings and male chicks in the farming sector.

A new report by the 'Put Change on the Menu' coalition (Eurogroup for Animals, the European Public Health Alliance and the European Consumer Organisation).

There's growing evidence that our food choices are shaped by the ‘food environments’ we navigate in.* Most people, however, do not realise the extent to which our eating habits are steered by powerful influences in our everyday lives, from the food ads that are pushed in front of us to the 'promos' and discounts on offer at our local supermarkets.

Unfortunately, today’s food environments largely steer us towards diets which are not in-line with healthy eating recommendations, high animal welfare standards, or the European Commission's vision for sustainable food and farming.

This report takes a look at the critical role of food environments in encouraging citizens to shift to healthy, more plant-based diets with ‘less and better’ animal source foods, and argues why these environments should be a critical consideration when the Commission works on its Framework for Sustainable Food Systems legislation this autumn (2023). It was launched at an event on July 28 - watch the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Jrtx_mbUk8

* Food environments are the “physical, economic, political and socio-cultural context in which consumers engage with the food system to make their decisions about acquiring, preparing and consuming food”. (Source: HLPE ‘Nutrition and food systems’ report)

Report by the Impact Institute, commissioned by Eurogroup for Animals - now with a new annex (updated September 2023).

Domesticated animals play a major role in human agricultural and food systems, both historically and today. The continuous growth in global wealth, as well as increased efficiency and industrialisation of animal sourced food production, has created both unprecedented quantities of, and access to, animal sourced food.

In view of these developments, Eurogroup for Animals commissioned an investigation into the true
costs of EU animal sourced food production and consumption. This report discusses the assessment of the EU’s production and consumption of animal sourced food. It evaluates the extent of external costs to human health, the environment, low animal welfare and human livelihood brought about by producing and consuming animal sourced food.

Moreover, the report discusses recommendations to address the externalities of the industrial animal food industry. This work can be used to inform policy and decision-making processes regarding the new EU animal welfare legislation.

Though the EU recognises farmed animals as sentient beings, the current animal welfare legislation does not take into account their innate needs and natures. In fact, loopholes and oversights in the laws that were written to protect them mean these poor beings are often mistreated and neglected by those that are meant to care for them, as well as housed in miserable environments, fed poor diets, and slaughtered inhumanely after experiencing lives full of stress, frustration and anxiety.

This cannot continue. When the European Commission revises the animal welfare legislation later this year, they must include strong, precise, and species-specific rules that support and protect the mental, emotional and physical state of all farm animals. This report covers five species and issues that particularly need the Commission's attention.

This report was created in-line with this exposé video, which features undercover footage from our MOs of the issues it explores (https://youtu.be/1LqIK_JVadg).