#Act4 FarmAnimals A new ruling maintains that a ban on slaughter without stunning in two Belgian regions is proportional and pursues a legitimate objective, that of ensuring animal welfare, in line with the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the Belgian Constitutional Court. European Court of Human Rights supports ban on slaughter without stunning 14 February 2024 GAIA
#Act4 LabAnimals February 11 is International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a reminder that women play a critical role in science and that their participation should be strengthened. We are celebrating one of the women who help change science for the better by delivering humane science through the exploration of non-animal approaches; the winner of our grant to attend the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) summer school. Driving change: women in non-animal research 11 February 2024
#Act4 AnimalsEU As of January 2024, California is now cage-free. This rule applies to all products, including imports, a precedent that should pave the way for the EU. A ban on cages that applies to imports? California makes it a reality 8 February 2024
#Act4 LabAnimals On 4 January 2024, the European Commission launched a public consultation to update Annexes III and IV of Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. Eurogroup for Animals welcomes the efforts to include standards for the care and accommodation of animals and acceptable methods of killing for species previously overlooked. However, we regret that the revision missed the opportunity to update existing provisions for other species. Limited progress: revision of Annexes III and IV of Directive 2010/63/EU restricted to a few species 7 February 2024
#Act4 FarmAnimals Two live animal transport vessels containing bulls from Portugal were detained for 19 days in the Moroccan port of Tangier-Med. Nearly three weeks of suffering for bulls trapped on trucks at the Moroccan border 31 January 2024
#Act4 FarmAnimals On 18 January, the European Parliament voted on a report regarding marketing standards in fisheries and aquaculture. The plenary approved wording that would limit the use of terms like ‘fish’ and the use of certain fish species, for example ‘tuna’, to describe plant-based alternatives to fish products. No need to fight over a fishless finger 30 January 2024
#Act4 Aquatics Last week the European Parliament issued a resounding call to the European Commission, urging the Common Fisheries Policy to improve the welfare of aquatic animals. European Parliament votes to address welfare through the Common Fisheries Policy 25 January 2024
#Act4 Wildlife Under no circumstances can the welfare of animals in fur farms be protected, and a full ban is the only way forward, Eurogroup for Animals argued in the first stakeholder meeting of the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) to evaluate current practices on fur farms. EFSA stakeholder meeting on fur farming: first step towards ban? 23 January 2024
#Act4 LabAnimals In December 2023, the European Commission published its proposal for a Regulation on the protection of animals during transport. The proposal explicitly recognises that animals transported for scientific purposes are covered by the Regulation. However, the lack of species-specific provisions addressing crucial factors such as fitness for transport and journey times raises deep concerns. What does the EU’s Transport Regulation proposal mean for animals used for scientific purposes? 19 January 2024
#Act4 Wildlife Despite the ever-growing biodiversity crisis, it is still legal to hunt endangered species for trophies, with elephants, rhinos, leopards, lions and polar bears often falling victim to this cruel practice. Trophy hunting helps conservation? The industry’s biggest myths debunked 18 January 2024 Four Paws
#Act4 Pets The breeding and trade of cats and dogs within the EU is a profitable economic sector; valued at over 1.3 billion € annually, it’s riddled with fraudulent activities that jeopardise the health and welfare of animals, compromise public health, undermine consumer protection and distort the internal market. Illegal pet trade: findings of the EU enforcement action plan 12 January 2024
#Act4 FarmAnimals The Belgian Presidency does not plan to address the proposal for animal transport in its term according to the programme of legislative files that will be worked on. The presidency of the Council is responsible for setting the agenda and facilitating dialogue between the Council and other EU institutions. It is now Belgium’s turn to take on the role until June of this year. Live animal transport proposal not a priority for Belgian presidency 10 January 2024