Commissioner Várhelyi said:

Citizens have high expectations when it comes to animal welfare.

Animal welfare and economic competitiveness do not have to be competing objectives, with the right approach they can go hand in hand.

By the end of this year, I intend to propose a targeted revision of animal welfare rules for laying hens and broilers, which will focus on phasing out cages, practical on-farm welfare indicators, and equivalent requirements for imports.

And by the second quarter of next year, 2027, we're planning a similar proposal to address pig welfare, including the transition from crates to pen systems for sows.

The Awards recognise businesses that are driving real improvements for farmed animals. Since the Awards began in 2007, the policies and commitments of winning companies are set to benefit more than 1.6 billion animals every year.

This year, companies including Rujamar in Spain, Netto Poland, Fumagalli in Italy, and Picard in France were recognised for their cage-free commitments.

EU citizens want change

The End the Cage Age legislation for hens and pigs has been brought forward in response to the successful European Citizens’ Initiative – signed by over 1.4 million EU citizens and supported by 170 NGOs.

In addition, an overwhelming 89% of EU citizens – around 400 million people – believe animals should not be farmed in individual cages. Yet, across Europe, around 300 million pigs, hens, rabbits, ducks, quail and geese still spend most of their lives in cages every year.

Debbie Tripley, Global Director of Campaigns and Policy Advocacy at Compassion in World Farming, said:

Proposals to end the cage age are coming – farmers know it, businesses know it, we know it – so why not include them in the work plans for the year to come?

While we welcome the Commissioner confirming he will publish proposals for laying hens and broiler chickens in 2026 and pigs in 2027 as promised, we urge him to ensure that they are truly robust and effective in delivering strong animal welfare improvements for each species.

We also want to see the Commission standing by the commitment it made five years ago and publish a timeline to end the suffering of all species that continue to be confined in cages.

Take action

As we approach the first cage-free proposals coming to reality, it is crucial they are robust and ambitious for the animals including.

Please support End the Cage Age by emailing key representatives in the EU Commission calling for strong proposals that will make a real difference to the lives of farmed animals.

Tell the EU Commission it's time to End the Cage Age.

EU Commissioner confirms cage-free proposals are on track