Library

Displaying 25 - 48 of 176 Publications

Analysis of animal welfare standards for animal products imported to the EU

Trade & Animal Welfare
Policy Briefing

Applying EU animal welfare standards to imported animal products would consistently offer to EU consumers the type of products they ethically feel more comfortable with, and would ensure that European consumption does not fuel inhumane and unsustainable models of production beyond the EU’s borders. The revision of the EU’s animal welfare legislation is a unique opportunity for the EU to lead the global transition towards sustainable food systems. The animal welfare requirements that are mostly considered are the following: ban of cages, stocking density and space allowance, mutilations, enrichment, and male chick culling.

This document reviews the animal welfare standards in the top countries exporting animal products to the EU. It also reviews the standards in countries with which the EU is negotiating a trade agreement (FTA), as these are likely to export increased quantities of animal-based products to the EU in future, and including animal welfare based conditions in trade agreements is an exception.

Seeking alternatives to lethal management

Wildlife
Position Paper

In the EU, a large number of species are subject to lethal control. The objective of such control varies from one species to another. It is important to note that the classification of a species can differ from one Member State to the other, and even from a locality to another within this Member State, depending on the local context. Hence, some species can be protected in a Member State while considered a “pest” in another. Some species can also be classified in several categories.

This is a position paper on preventing, planning, and promoting the use and exploration of non-lethal alternatives prior to the use of lethal management.

Why new genomic techniques will not solve the problems linked to intensive animal agriculture

Farm Animals
Position Paper

New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) come at the moment in which the international community attempts for a transition towards a more plant-based diet, and consumer demand for higher animal welfare standards is at an all-time high. While the promises of increased animal welfare, improved productivity and decreased environmental pressure are thought-provoking, there are concerns about the use of NGTs as they will not bring about any change to methods of production in general. This paper outlines Eurogroup for Animals' position.

Equines in the revised animal welfare legislation

Equines
Policy Briefing

Equines have varied status within the EU. They can be used for multiple purposes including companionship, leisure, sports, production or work. Sometimes, they fulfil more than one of these roles in their lifetime. Although bred for these other roles, many are subsequently used for meat production purposes. This situation means that equines often fall between the lines of legislation and are not adequately protected.

The objective of this briefing is to define the modalities for inclusion of equines within the different instruments forming the revised animal welfare legislation.

Review of investigations on wild animal pet markets

Wildlife
Report

Wild animal pet markets, also called exotic pet fairs, shows, exhibitions or expos, are events organised by the industry and breeder associations; where multiple businesses and hobby breeders display and sell live animals and related-products to visitors. Some of these markets solely focus on traditional pets while others also cover or are dedicated to exotic animals including a wide range of species of birds, reptiles and amphibians, but also mammals and fish and other animals such as spiders or snails.

This review is based on 9 investigations that have been carried out in wild animal pet markets in the EU and UK, addressing animal welfare, public health and invasiveness concerns. In this review, the key findings from these investigations are presented, highlighting key knowledge gaps that must be addressed to further understand and tackle the exotic pet trade.

Working equids in the European Union

Equines
Report

Domesticated to harness their potential as transport and draught power, working Equidae such as horses, donkeys and mules have become an integral part of human history and culture. Lessening labour burdens, assisting agricultural productivity and enabling travel, trade and development, equids demonstrate considerable versatility and can be found in a range of modern-day roles including equestrian sport, tourism, agriculture, forestry and environmental management and as contributors to human wellbeing.

Globally, over 100 million working equids support over 600 million people. The total population of equids within the European Union has been estimated at around seven million.

In a time of increased global dialogue about sustainable practice, particularly within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, working equids should be recognised and provided for, not necessarily as an alternative to modern technology to be employed out of context, but as an existing and complementary contributor to sustainable lives and livelihoods within the EU.

Briefing: Vietnam. Animal welfare in the implementation of the EU-Vietnam FTA

Trade & Animal Welfare
Report

This report examines what is at stake for animals in EU-Vietnam trade relations, calling for the Parties to make full use of EVFTA’s provisions on animal welfare cooperation and on Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) to improve the lives of millions of animals. It first looks at the evolution of the trade in animal products between the partners, as well as at animal welfare legislation in Vietnam. It then presents the sectors that should become priorities for EU-Vietnam cooperation on animal welfare, as well as key animal issues that should be addressed under the TSD chapter.

Fur farming and public health

Wildlife
Report

With more than 600 million confirmed cases since its emergence in late 2019, and more than 6.5 million deaths, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the devastating human and economic cost of emerging infectious diseases. Approximately three quarters of emerging human infectious diseases are zoonotic (originating in animals).

This report examines the role of animals farmed for fur in the COVID-19 pandemic and their potential role in the emergence of future pandemics of human respiratory disease.

Raising the issue of tiger trade within the Domestic Advisory Group on EU-Vietnam FTA

Trade & Animal Welfare
Policy Briefing

Although the domestic and international trade in wild tigers for commercial purposes is prohibited in Vietnam, the trade remains highly active due to weak law enforcement and the demand for tiger parts in Vietnam and China. The prominence of illegal trafficking in Vietnam means EU-bred tigers exported to Vietnam are at high risk of being trafficked or killed for their parts. The export of these tigers also encourages the trade in captive-bred tigers (introduced in Vietnam to relieve pressure on the wild population) and, by encouraging the consumption of tiger parts, continues to threaten wild tiger populations. This note invites the EU Domestic Advisory Group (EU DAG) set up under the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement (EVFTA) to examine the tiger trade in Vietnam in light of Article 13.7.3 (d) and (e) of the Trade & Sustainable Development (TSD) chapter, which commits the parties to implement appropriate effective measures to reduce wildlife trafficking.

Enhanced animal welfare Method of Production (MoP+) labelling and sustainability labelling

Farm Animals
Position Paper

The Farm to Fork strategy aims to reduce the environmental and climate footprint of the EU food system and facilitate the shift to healthy and sustainable diets. As part of this commitment, it seeks to further empower consumers through labelling information. A proposal for a sustainable food labelling framework is scheduled for 2024, and the same time, the European Commission is considering options for animal welfare labelling. This report details what we at Eurogroup for Animals believe should be included for a meaningful and effective animal welfare label, along with how such a label can fit together with the sustainable food labelling framework, and our key considerations regarding the methodology that would underpin the above.

The List of Invasive Alien Species of Union Concern: Implementation and Species updates

Wildlife
Policy Briefing

On 22nd October 2014 the European Parliament and the Council adopted the EU Regulation N. 1143/2014.

As foreseen by Article 4 of the Regulation, on 13 July 2016 the European Commission adopted by means of an implementing act a list of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern

At EU level, there are now 66 Invasive Alien Species of Union concern, 30 animal species and 36 plant species, to which EU measures apply. The animal species consist of 4 fish species, 2 insect and rhabditophora species, 2 amphibian and reptile species, 6 crustacean species, 5 bird species and 11 mammal species.

Many of these species are brought into Europe intentionally, to be kept as pets or used as products of the fur or food industry. These animals can escape and some are deliberately released into the wild. Roughly 10-15 % of alien species arriving in Europe eventually become invasive. Invasive alien species are one of the major causes of biodiversity loss.

The IAS Regulation introduces an EU-wide system to tackle this issue, with the Union List at its core. This is the list of priority species which require EU action to prevent, minimise or mitigate their adverse impacts.

European Union’s list of invasive alien species of Union concern

Wildlife
Position Paper

The purpose of this position is to discuss the Union List of Invasive Alien Species from an animal welfare standpoint. Eurogroup for Animals feels that conservation efforts in Europe and globally should include animal welfare as a pillar of their decision-making frameworks. We are working to pollinate policy making institutions such as The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA) and more with animal welfare language and considerations.

Eurogroup for Animals supports conservation efforts to save biodiversity, maintaining its contribution to ecosystem functioning.

Protecting animals to protect the planet - COP27 edition

Farm Animals
Brochure

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.

For a revision of the trophy hunting regime in the European Union - Summary report

Wildlife
Report

Summary report - In the context of the unprecedented and ongoing biodiversity crisis, trophy hunting puts an additional pressure on populations of threatened species that are already facing a multitude of threats to their survival, including habitat loss and degradation, climate change, wildlife trade, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.

en

fr

From stable to fork: EU Horse Meat Imports (updated version)

Equines
Report

Just under 66.1 million horses are recorded as livestock worldwide, with 6.3 million being slaughtered every year. Equine welfare and the traceability and identification of horses has been a topic of heated discussions in the last few years. In 2013, the European Union was shaken by its own horse meat scandal, when supposed beef products sold at retailers turned out to contain horse meat. It led many consumers to question the content of their food. Longer supply chains and more operators are involved in the equine meat industry compared to other categories of meat, which increases risks for consumers and animals.

NGO investigations, EU audits and scandals have all highlighted the need for greater protection of equine welfare in horse meat production, as well as for improved identification and traceability of horses in order to ensure food safety and prevent fraudulent activities.

The EU must stop imports of kangaroo products

Wildlife
Policy Briefing

The EU is the biggest importer of Australian kangaroo meat and skins, accounting for 65% of this trade. Their meat is sold in European supermarkets or used in pet food and their skin is used for luxury sports equipment such as shoes. Between 2016 and 2019, EU imports of kangaroo skins almost doubled in quantity, and kangaroo meat increased by 11%. The EU has a very important role to play in stopping the cruel and unnecessary commercial hunting of kangaroos in Australia to safeguard this iconic species.

Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG) production, import and use in the EU

Equines
Policy Briefing

Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG), also called Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG), is a hormone extracted from the blood of pregnant mares (female horses). It is used to increase and manage fertility in farmed animals such as pigs, sheep, goats and cattle. Mares are kept on premises, called blood farms, where their blood is collected. eCG is produced in the EU, but the vast majority is imported from non-EU countries and used in animal agriculture throughout the EU.

eCG production and use is in breach of EU law and entails serious welfare concerns. As one species of domesticated animal is used to exploit another, eCG perfectly illustrates the vicious circle of animal abuse. Acknowledging these issues, the EU must take the opportunity of the implementation of the new regulation on veterinary medicinal products, and the revision of the EU animal welfare legislation, to end eCG production, use and imports in the EU.

Five policy priorities for the EU's sustainable food system initiative

Farm Animals
Position Paper

The Framework Sustainable Food System law can, potentially, be the game changer that makes the EU’s agricultural and food sectors positive contributors to fighting climate change and ensuring food security.

The framework law must, therefore, be given the capacity to transform the entire food system to make healthy, sustainable food the central objective of all agri-food policy and legislation.

Eurogroup for Animals has identified five policy priorities that need to be addressed by the framework for the sustainable transformation of the EU’s food system.

For a revision of the trophy hunting regime in the European Union

Wildlife
Report

In the context of the unprecedented and ongoing biodiversity crisis, trophy hunting puts an additional pressure on populations of threatened species that are already facing a multitude of threats to their survival, including habitat loss and degradation, climate change, wildlife trade, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.

Fur Free Europe

Wildlife
Report

Following the European Commission’s commitment to a cage-free future for farming and the move towards a species-specific behaviour approach, the keeping of innately wild animals in confinement simply cannot be legitimised. The clear societal consensus across Europe is that the keeping and killing of animals merely for their fur is unethical – a view reflected both through national prohibitions and the abandonment of fur
products by increasing numbers of retailers.

This report explores why we need to ban fur farming and the placement of farmed fur products on the European market, from a public health, legal, environmental and ethical perspective.

Laying hens' welfare: Policy recommendations

Farm Animals
Policy Briefing

With this document, we present to the European decision makers a set of policy recommendations for the revision of the legislation applicable to laying hens. The recommendations are either additions or corrections to the existing legislation, as in some cases there is currently no mention of much-needed provisions, and in others, the existing wording on certain issues needs updating according to the available body of science and experience. These recommendations are structured within the framework of the Five Domains model. Our proposed provisions, if well-implemented, will ensure that laying hens will enjoy a good life.

A sustainable Common Fisheries Policy to meet the EU’s objectives

Aquatic Animals
Policy Briefing

The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) sets the right foundational objectives for the management of fisheries and fish populations in the EU’s waters. Yet, to date, it still ignores fish welfare.

Since Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) requires that fishery policy “pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals” and the current CFP only provides for the conservation of all marine biological resources and the management of fisheries activities, future fisheries policy should explicitly provide for animal welfare.

On-farm Welfare Standards in Aquaculture

Aquatic Animals
Policy Briefing

A life worth living for fish and other animals in aquaculture systems can be achieved by ensuring the right inputs and monitoring outcomes across the 5 domains. We welcome the option in the Commission’s 2021 Inception Impact Assessment to introduce species-specific requirements for farmed fish.

Here we set out recommendations based on science and existing guidelines that should be implemented as legal standards. Many of these recommendations are applicable across species and are based on current best practices.

This briefing serves as an annex to our White Paper - No Animal Left Behind: The need for a new Kept Animals Regulation.