Document type: news fromEuractiv
Authors: Paula Andrés. Translation: Alexis Debroux and Nicolas Thomsin
Preview: The European Commission is currently reviewing the EU animal welfare legislation within the framework of the EU’s flagship food policy, the Farm to Fork strategy. The proposal, expected to be unveiled in September, has been undergoing an impact assessment of the different policy options at the disposal of the EU executive.
Despite concerns over the timeline of the proposal, sources close to the file told EURACTIV that the impact assessment has received a positive opinion from the regulatory scrutiny board (RSB), the independent quality control body within the Commission that advises the College of Commissioners.
A Commission spokesperson told EURACTIV that, in line with the mandate of the RSB, its opinions on draft impact assessments will be “made public once the Commission has adopted the related policy initiative”. With the go-ahead from the quality control board, the EU’s Food Safety and Health service (DG SANTE) will circulate the proposal to obtain a formal opinion from other Directorates-General (DGs) as part of the EU executive’s preparatory work.
Meanwhile, the EU executive refuted rumours that the revision is not high on its priority list. “The Commission has been promoting animal welfare for over 40 years,” the spokesperson said, adding that “it is a high priority” for Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides personally and for Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission. [...]
Optimistic but realistic
But despite succeeding at this first step, there is a long way to negotiate the text that the Commission will propose – and European elections in June 2024 could prove a game-changer. [...]
But for NGOs following this file, the approval of the quality control gives reasons for optimism. Joe Moran, director of the European Policy Office at FOUR PAWS, said that “this positive response from the regulatory scrutiny board confirms that the upcoming animal welfare proposals, other than being long-awaited by citizens, make economic sense”. “Considering that this green light comes after a thorough assessment from one of the toughest independent bodies within the Commission, this is good news,” he added.
The EU executive’s ambitions, however, are still facing concerns and criticism from farming organisations – such as the EU farmers’ association COPA-COGECA, who recently commissioned their own impact assessment on a potential ban on animal cages. The study found that pig and poultry production will fall and “significant investments” will need to be made. “This study is simply showing a clear fact: the choice of transition period will have major implications for production, profitability of farmers, price increases for consumers and concentration effects,” said Miguel Angel Higuera, chair of the farming association’s animal welfare working party.
According to the European Court of Auditors, differences in costs between regions and in the application of the EU animal transport rules by member states encourage the transport of live animals, leading to risks for animal welfare.
