Document type: from The Animal Law, Ethics, and Science Foundation (LFDA)
Author: Girard
Preview: On November 18, 2025, in Brussels, the Fondation Droit Animal, Éthique & Sciences (LFDA) and the European Institute for Animal Law & Policy (EIALP) jointly organized a conference on recent developments and prospects for European animal protection law. The event brought together more than fifty people from over thirty organizations (NGOs, institutions, universities, etc.), confirming the growing importance of animal welfare issues in the European legal and political landscape.
Understanding the limits of the current European framework
The day began with a presentation of the event, its challenges, and its objectives by Nicolas Bureau (LFDA), and a tribute to Louis Schweitzer, former president of the Foundation, who passed away on November 6.
The first round table, introduced by Gabriela Kubíková (EIALP), laid the groundwork for the debate. Christian Juliusson (European Commission, DG SANTE) pointed out that many European texts on animal welfare are still based on general standards, formulated in terms such as "appropriate" or "non-routine," leaving a wide margin for interpretation and hindering harmonization. He also highlighted a major issue: the lack of impact of European standards outside the EU, which sometimes leaves EU producers at a disadvantage compared to importers from countries with less stringent rules.
Denise Candiani (EFSA) then presented the central role played by the agency in producing scientific opinions to inform the Commission. She reviewed the evolution of the missions carried out by the EFSA, which has gradually acquired increased resources to cover all species covered by European law, from farm animals to equines and animals raised for fur. She described the various ways in which the public and stakeholders can participate (consultations, calls for information, expressions of interest) in the development of scientific opinions.
Last, Pauline Phoa (University of Utrecht) offered a clear analysis of the different forms of extraterritoriality in European law. She distinguished between "strict" extraterritoriality, illustrated by the application of European law to the transport of animals beyond the borders of the EU or by the ban on whaling, the "Brussels effect," which sees foreign producers voluntarily adopting European standards in order to access the market, and extraterritoriality based on the Union's external action, for example through the integration of animal welfare into trade agreements. She set these mechanisms in a historical perspective, showing how the way that modern international law was constructed still places limitations on contemporary debates.
Case law in flux
The second round table, moderated by Inês Grenho Ajuda (Eurogroup for Animals), revealed the growing importance of strategic litigation in the evolution of animal law.
Alessandra Donati (legal secretary at the CJEU) reviewed three major judgments handed down by the Court in 2020. In particular, she detailed the decisions relating to ritual slaughter and traditional methods of bird trapping, in which the Court had to reconcile cultural traditions with growing animal welfare requirements. She also presented the ASCEL, concerning the protection of wolves, in which the Court recognized that psychological harm to a protected species can constitute environmental damage.
Alice Di Concetto (EIALP) and Joren Vuylsteke (KU Leuven), speaking jointly, put these European developments into perspective with an account of national dynamics. They presented recent cases in the Netherlands and Belgium, where associations are increasingly using the law to challenge inaction from the authorities, or to obtain stronger animal protections. They highlighted two key trends in European case law: the growing reference to animal sentience, now explicitly enshrined in treaties, and the weight given to animal interests in the proportionality test. These trends, they explained, pave the way for more ambitious litigation strategies in the years to come.
Tools, innovations, and political perspectives
The third round table, introduced by Laurence Parisot (President of the LFDA), highlighted emerging legal tools and current political perspectives.
Nicolas Bureau (LFDA) and Emilie Chevalier (University of Limoges) presented an online database containing all European animal-related legislation: regulations, directives, decisions, recommendations, and case law from the courts. This project, carried out in collaboration with a network of academics, will be launched in early 2026 in French and English.
MEPs Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA) and Michal Wiezik (Renew Europe) then shared their experience on the ground, particularly concerning the revisions to transport regulations. They described a tense political context and complex negotiations, where animal protection regularly clashes with divergent economic interests between Member States. Last, Pascal Vaugarny (Fermiers de Loué) and Agathe Gignoux (Compassion in World Farming France) presented joint feedback on the French animal welfare label. They showed how NGOs and economic actors can work together to bring about material improvements, provided that ethical objectives, economic viability, and market fairness are aligned. Their presentation illustrated a key point of the day: real progress requires structured dialogue between civil society, scientists, businesses, and institutions.
