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Animal welfare
EU animal welfare policy is based on the principle that animals are sentient beings and that their welfare must be taken into account in legislation and public policy. In practice, this means EU action covers the treatment of animals on farms, during transport and at slaughter, while also addressing wider issues such as animal welfare labelling, cloning, online sales of dogs and cats, and the international promotion of welfare standards.
A central part of the EU framework is the body of EU animal welfare legislation, which includes rules on animal welfare on the farm, slaughter and stunning, and related legislative aspects for farm animals. These rules are intended to establish common minimum standards across the Union and to improve the treatment of animals in key stages of the production chain.
The EU is also working on reforms and evaluations aimed at updating the legal framework. This includes the evaluation of the EU strategy on animal welfare, the evaluation of legislation on farmed-animal welfare, and the ongoing revision of EU animal welfare legislation. The purpose is to align EU rules more closely with current scientific knowledge, ethical expectations and stakeholder concerns.
Among the most visible current priorities are the protection of dogs and cats and the improvement of animal transport rules. The Commission presents these areas as part of a broader effort to strengthen traceability, care standards, handler training, import conditions and welfare safeguards during long journeys.
Implementation and expertise are supported through the EU Platform on Animal Welfare, the Animal Welfare Expert Group, and the EU Reference Centres for animal welfare. These bodies help disseminate good practices, provide technical support and contribute to more consistent enforcement across Member States.
Animal welfare has also become an important political and societal issue within the EU, as shown by the European Citizens’ Initiative “End the Cage Age” and the European Citizens’ Initiative “Fur Free Europe”. Beyond the Union, the EU also promotes animal welfare through international activities, including cooperation, trade-related engagement and training initiatives aimed at raising standards globally.
A central part of the EU framework is the body of EU animal welfare legislation, which includes rules on animal welfare on the farm, slaughter and stunning, and related legislative aspects for farm animals. These rules are intended to establish common minimum standards across the Union and to improve the treatment of animals in key stages of the production chain.
The EU is also working on reforms and evaluations aimed at updating the legal framework. This includes the evaluation of the EU strategy on animal welfare, the evaluation of legislation on farmed-animal welfare, and the ongoing revision of EU animal welfare legislation. The purpose is to align EU rules more closely with current scientific knowledge, ethical expectations and stakeholder concerns.
Among the most visible current priorities are the protection of dogs and cats and the improvement of animal transport rules. The Commission presents these areas as part of a broader effort to strengthen traceability, care standards, handler training, import conditions and welfare safeguards during long journeys.
Implementation and expertise are supported through the EU Platform on Animal Welfare, the Animal Welfare Expert Group, and the EU Reference Centres for animal welfare. These bodies help disseminate good practices, provide technical support and contribute to more consistent enforcement across Member States.
Animal welfare has also become an important political and societal issue within the EU, as shown by the European Citizens’ Initiative “End the Cage Age” and the European Citizens’ Initiative “Fur Free Europe”. Beyond the Union, the EU also promotes animal welfare through international activities, including cooperation, trade-related engagement and training initiatives aimed at raising standards globally.
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