While strong commitments to improve the welfare of millions of animals farmed in the EU were announced during the confirmation hearings of Commissioners candidates, they failed to provide clear timelines for action.

“Cages are becoming obsolete” says Commissioner candidate

Animal Welfare Commissioner-candidate Oliver Várhelyi openly acknowledged that animal welfare is a matter very close to European citizens’ hearts and that caged farming is becoming obsolete.

Recognising the success of the End the Cage Age ECI signed by 1.4 million EU citizens, Várhelyi confirmed that the European Commission will respond to the citizens’ request and deliver on its promises to ban cages. Regrettably, he failed to commit to a concrete timeline and announced that further consultations would take place.

This is despite the Strategic Dialogue report, released in September, already having reached a consensus among participants – including key industry bodies – that proposals for the cage ban should be published and animal welfare legislation reviewed by 2026.

Clear timeline needed on animal welfare review

In his hearing, Várhelyi failed to commit to presenting the missing proposals on the keeping and slaughter of farmed animals – the files the Commission was expected to present by 2023 to overhaul the outdated EU animal welfare laws. Thanks to follow-up questions from MEPs, who did not approve him straight away, Várhelyi later clarified that he will propose a review of the block’s animal welfare legislation.

Positively, on the transport of live animals – the only proposal tabled by the previous Commission to reform the EU’s animal welfare rules – Várhelyi admitted he was “shocked” by the images of animals stuck at the Turkey-Bulgaria border and said member states should not wait for new legislation to be finalised to improve the situation on the ground.

In the absence of a clear timeline, we call on the European Commission to deliver the long-overdue proposals to modernise the block’s animal welfare laws in line with the Strategic Dialogue and without any further delay.

Fish welfare overlooked in hearings

Despite an overwhelming 9 out of 10 EU citizens believing that fish welfare should be protected at least to the same extent as land farmed animals, aquatic animals were greatly overlooked by the Animal Welfare Commissioner candidate.

Yet, in his confirmation hearing, the newly confirmed Fisheries and Ocean Commissioner Kostas Kadis at least acknowledged the need to improve animal welfare standards in aquaculture. While this is a promising statement, we need clear commitments by the European Commission that fish will be covered in the animal welfare package revision to be delivered by 2026 and included in the Commission’s Vision for the Future of EU Agriculture, as requested by the Parliament’s Fisheries Committee.

Food systems transformation urgently needed

While a Sustainable Food Systems Framework Law is likely off the table, the freshly confirmed Agriculture and Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen confirmed that the consensus reached in the Strategic Dialogue report will the guiding star for his Vision for the Future of EU Agriculture, and that the Green Deal will remain the compass for EU agriculture.

Positively, he seemed determined to find ways to financially support farmers in the transition towards sustainable, higher welfare food systems, but missed the chance to acknowledge the flaws of current policies in doing so.

What’s deeply regrettable, however, is the failure of both Várhelyi and Hansen to clearly condemn intensive farming and push for alternatives.

While Hansen recognised the environmental issues posed by intensive meat and dairy production, he failed to encourage consumption reduction. The emphasis he put on the upcoming Strategy for Sustainable Livestock, in contrast with the mild support he showed for the Plant-based Foods Action Plan, is worrying. Similarly, Várhelyi claimed that intensive farming is key to food security, while in reality it is harming animals, people and our planet.

How to fund the sustainable transition

With the proposals for the next Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) and for the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) both expected in 2025, the issue of funding the transition to higher welfare and more sustainable farming was highly relevant during these hearings.

While Executive Vice-President-designate for Cohesion and Reform Raffaele Fitto did not provide strong reassurance on the alignment of the EU budget with the Green Deal objectives, the Executive Vice-President-designate for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera seemed determined to pursue the green transition as a key strategic element of EU competitiveness.

Vinciane Patelou, Head of EU at Compassion in World Farming, said: “We welcome the clear commitments provided in these confirmation hearings, from promises to deliver a ban on cages and a review of the animal welfare legislation to pledges to improving fish welfare, but what’s missing is a clear timeline for action.

“European citizens want better welfare standards for animals and the consensus reached through the Strategic Dialogue couldn’t be clearer: we need improved animal welfare rules and the proposals for a ban on cages by 2026. It is time for the EU Commission to deliver a work programme in line with its promises and to turn words into action without further delay.”

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