In 2019 over 1,600,000,000 farm animals (ovines, bovines, poultry, and pigs) were transported alive across the European Union and to non-European countries. Live transport is a major concern as animals are exposed to stress at loading and unloading, and can suffer hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and lack of space and rest during transit. Transporting live animals also poses serious risks for animals and, potentially, public health due to the possible spread of diseases.

Eurogroup for Animals calls for systemic changes to make sure that animals will not be unnecessarily transported within the EU and they will never leave the Union alive.

The Hens’ Asks has been developed by Eurogroup for Animals and its member organisations to define high welfare standards for laying hens in Europe. It addresses key welfare issues at different stages of the laying hens’ life (parent flock, pullets, laying hens, catching, transport and slaughter).

Companies can sign up to the Hens’ Asks, specifying the scope of their commitment in terms of geographical perimeter (national vs regional), product range (company vs brand level) and egg category (shell eggs, egg products, egg ingredients) covered. By signing up to the Hens’ Asks, a company commits to meet all the requirements listed below by 2027 for 100% of its sourcing for the specified perimeter.

On Monday 14th February the Parliament is due to vote on the AGRI implementation report on on-farm animal welfare by the rapporteur Jérémy Decerle MEP (RE, FR).

Eurogroup for Animals, Compassion in World Farming and Four Paws regret that this report has not fulfilled its primary purpose to provide comprehensive conclusions on the implementation of selected farm animal welfare related EU legislation. It presents a text that is full with positions from a bygone age.

It ignores much of the scientific knowledge gained in regards to the welfare of animals over recent years, pays little or no attention to the many problems inherent in the current farming systems — especially intensive animal production — falls much below citizens’ expectations and sidesteps the very scope of the mandate for this report: the implementation of EU legislation concerning the welfare of animals on farms.

This document gives an overview of answers to the most frequent questions or concerns about cultivated meat. Since its technological development is an ongoing process and the insights of its impact are still growing, this overview should be considered as a living document.

On 20 January 2022, the European Parliament adopted the Recommendation which had previously been approved by the Committee of Inquiry on the Protection of Animals during Transport (ANIT) on 2nd December 2021. Eurogroup for Animals believes that the already weak Recommendation approved by the ANIT Committee was watered down further in Plenary. The amendments that could have had considerable positive impact on the welfare of the animals transported, as well as those supporting a systemic change, did not receive the support needed and expected.

After nearly two years of work, the Committee of Inquiry on the Protection of Animals during Transport (ANIT) voted on the drafted Report and Recommendations back in December 2021.

The Committee was meant to investigate alleged contraventions and maladministration in the application of Union law in relation to the protection of animals during transport (Council Regulation EC 1/2005) within and outside the Union. To this end, it organised three fact finding missions, ten public hearings, 14 individual hearings and several coordination meetings.

The so-called ANIT is the fourth inquiry approved in the history of the European Parliament and the very first one on animal welfare.

Live transport, far from being a concern only from an animal welfare perspective, is also relevant from a public health and environmental standpoints: as highlighted by the Committee, this activity represents a major risk factor in the spread of infectious animal diseases in the EU, and a source of environmental pollution, especially in relation to the violation of the MARPOL convention.

Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a disease caused by influenza type A viruses that mainly infect wild birds, domestic birds and poultry. Certain highly-pathogenic viruses can cause very high mortality rates, mainly in chickens and turkeys.

This Position Paper presents some measures to prevent and contain outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in domestic poultry.

Animal protection has been for too long absent from the conversations on climate change. Yet, animals and animal-related sectors play a significant role in ensuring a transition towards climate-resilient societies. Intensive livestock farming represents a significant share of the planet’s emissions that cannot be ignored.

Food environments are increasingly at the heart of deliberations about food systems change. The concept has been adopted by a range of leading organisations and incorporated in a number of initiatives, including the European Union’s (EU) Farm to Fork Strategy. But what are food environments? What added value does the concept of ‘food environment’ bring to efforts to transition to sustainable food systems? And how do you change food environments for the better? The aim of this policy brief is to further sharpen understanding about food environments and what a ‘food environment approach’ entails for EU food policy and the transition to sustainable food systems.

The European Commission has an opportunity to deliver, in line with its ambitions contained in the Farm to Fork strategy, a future-proofed legal foundation for standards — evidence-based standards that provide the ability for all farmed animals to experience a positively affected mental state, thereby enabling them to lead lives that are truly worth living. Any farming practices that cannot meet such requirements should, in effect, be eliminated. Many animals such as fish, beef cattle, turkeys, rabbits, quails, sheep, and goats are neglected by current legislation and require species-specific welfare rules. In doing so, Europe would remain a world leader in animal welfare standards, citizens expectations would be met, and no animal would be left behind.