Document type Answer to question n°12527 published in theJournal Officiel de la République Française
Authors: question: Béatrice Roullaud (Rassemblement National - Seine-et-Marne). Answer: French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty.
Question: Béatrice Roullaud asks the Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty about the revision of European legislation on the welfare and protection of farm animals. In 2021, in response to the European citizens' initiative " End the Cage Age ", the European executive committed to presenting a legislative proposal by the end of 2023 to improve farm animal welfare, including a ban on cages by 2027. This legislative update is part of the "Farm to Fork" strategy launched in 2020. The announcement had been greeted with hope after two decades without progress on the subject that saw the publication of more than 20 scientific opinions on the matter, notably those of the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) concerning the protection of pigs and poultry and, more recently, calves, recommending a ban on the use of cages and reductions in stocking densities. By way of example, we should recall the suffering of sows who, during the gestation and lactation periods, are confined in restraining cages so small that they can neither turn round nor stand up. To put an end to these cruel rearing conditions, there are solutions such as free farrowing crates that at least allow sows to move around, are already used in several countries (Denmark, Spain, England, Germany) and have been successfully tested by the Brittany Chamber of Agriculture on several farms. Unfortunately, on October 17, 2023, when the European Commission's work program for 2024 was published, neither animal welfare nor sustainable food systems were included in the document. This long-awaited European review was stripped of three of its four proposals, with no proposals on livestock farming, slaughter and animal welfare labelling, failing to meet the expectations of a majority of Europeans. Only the transport component of the revised animal welfare legislation was presented, leaving the rest of the legislative package to one side. This represents a denial of democracy and is an affront to the European citizens' initiative on ending the use of cages, which collected 1.4 million signatures. Clearly, the ambition that was to have been supported by France during the preliminary consultation initiated in March 2023 as part of the revision, along with the promotion of the experiences and issues particular to France, to European actors, has not led to the anticipated result. She therefore asks what measures the government intends to take to improve the welfare and protection of farm animals.
Answer: The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) "End the Cage Age", called on the Commission to propose legislation banning the use of: - cages for laying hens, rabbits, pullets, breeding broilers, breeding laying hens, quail, ducks and geese; - farrowing crates for sows; - stalls for sows; - and individual pens for calves. In its response to the European Citizens' Initiative, the Commission undertook to present, by the end of 2023, a legislative proposal to phase out and eventually ban the use of cage systems for all animals mentioned in the initiative. Improving animal welfare and combating animal abuse are priorities for the French government. There are strong and growing societal expectations on the part of consumers and citizens concerning animal welfare issues. France supports the approach proposed by the Commission insofar as it will make possible an objective assessment of the feasibility of phasing out the use of cages, based on scientific advice and a relevant impact assessment that takes into account the evaluation of the social, economic and environmental impacts. The government has initiated a preliminary consultation process as part of the revision of animal welfare legislation announced by the European Commission. The aim is to promote French experiences and particular issues to European stakeholders. Several principles underpin this preliminary consultation. First and foremost, the aim is to prevent any distortion of competition. To this end, two levers are favored: support for European harmonization, and ensuring that any tightening of animal welfare requirements within the European Union is accompanied by the application of equivalent rules for animals whose products are imported. Secondly, the additional costs must be shared by all links in the livestock chain, including retailers and consumers. Last, it is crucial to give operators, especially the younger generation, sufficient visibility to enable them to plan ahead and invest.
