Document type: report published by The European Institute for Animal Law & Policy
Author: The European Institute for Animal Law & Policy
Preview: Overall, 2025 has been a difficult year for animals, with the notable exception of fur animals. At EU level, positive developments include the listing of the American Mink (Neogale vison) as an invasive alien species, which will result in a ban on the keeping of mink beginning August 2027. However, one Member State, Denmark, has already announced its intent to apply for an exemption from this EU ban.
Less positive for animals, 2025 also brought a weakening of wolf protection rules in the short term, following the downgrading by the Commission and the Member States of the wolf’s protection status in international law (Bern Convention) and EU law (Habitats Directive). The Commission further removed wild habitat protection rules in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Regulations, thereby ending the few wild animal requirements that existed in the rules regulating the distribution of farming subsidies.
Several salient key developments have emerged in the Member States. Firstly, efforts to ban fur farming at national level have continued and succeeded. In Bulgaria, the Supreme Court confirmed the legality of the national mink farming ban in a landmark ruling that upheld the 2022 regulation prohibiting the breeding and import of American mink. Poland, one of the top EU fur producers, succeeded on their third attempt to enact a law banning fur farming. The new Polish law prohibits the establishment of new fur farms with immediate effect and requires all existing facilities to close by the end of 2033. It introduces a compensation mechanism to support farmers transitioning out of the sector. Secondly, and less positive for animals, 2025 saw the rise of aggressive moves to restrict the uptake of animal-based alternatives, by restricting commercial speech by food manufacturers (France) and prohibiting cultivated products (Hungary).
Overall, this yearly review shows the need for continued advocacy and commitment in the legal sphere.
Looking ahead, 2026 will likely see the adoption of the new EU regulation on the welfare of dogs and cats, published in 20239 and finalized in 2025 following more than two years of political negotiations. This will be a welcome development considering the delays in the implementation of new national companion animal welfare laws (for instance, in France and Spain) and the shelving of proposals (in Portugal). There is also hope that 2026 will be the year the Commission publishes new legislative proposals on the welfare of farmed animals, which have been delayed since 2023.
