Farmers from across Europe have come to the European Commission to join campaigners in calling for a ban on cages on World Cage Free Day (25 March).

The farmers, who each run successful cage-free farms, gathered at an event outside the European Commission to share their experiences with European policymakers and joining campaigners from the End the Cage Age (EtCA) coalition in urging the European Commission to deliver long-promised legislation to end the use of cages for all species.

Commission officials and Members of the European Parliament including Veronika Vrecionová and Arash Saeidi spoke to the farmers, who represented different farming systems and countries, about their real-life insights into the opportunities and challenges of higher-welfare production and why the future of farming must be cage-free. They were joined by campaigners from the EtCA coalition including Compassion in World Farming, Eurogroup for Animals, Anima International, and FOUR PAWS.

It's wonderful to see how we can give chickens the best life they deserve, while at the same time we can make positive impacts on biodiversity, climate and producing healthy products. In this regenerative system, the synergy is there. It’s all happening on our small scale community supported farm, KipEigen,

said Eva Vos, a Dutch hen farmer from Initiatiefnemer Natuurboerderij KipEigen.

With legislative proposals to end caged farming expected by the end of 2026, the EtCA coalition – led by Compassion in World Farming – kickstarted a 190-day countdown to the last quarter of 2026, which is when the Commission has promised it will start rolling out proposals to phase out cages, as advised by the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture.

Vinciane Patelou, Head of EU at Compassion in World Farming, said:

Today, European farmers have come to the European Commission to show that a cage-free future is not only possible, it’s already happening. With 190 days until the Commission is due to bring forward proposals, farmers, campaigners and citizens are calling on the EU to deliver on its promise and finally End the Cage Age for the 300 million animals still trapped in cages each year.

Animal welfare campaigners are stepping up the pressure on the Commission to keep its promises to deliver legislative proposals to ban caged farming following the successful End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) - signed by over 1.4 million EU citizens in 2019. In 2021, the Commission made a clear commitment to respond to the action by introducing legislative proposals for an EU ban on caged farming by the end of 2023, but failed to keep its promise.

Inge Vleemingh, farmer from De Goed Gevulde, a cage-free pig farm in the Netherlands, said:

As a farmer and young mother, I want my sows to enjoy a safe, happy life, rooting freely with their piglets by their side. Choosing cage-free farming ensures high welfare and healthy, stress-free pork for our community. Let’s give our pigs the space to live as nature intended.

Sjoerd Miedema, Dutch calves farmer at De Nije Mieden, said:

We take care of our livestock, but are also concerned about all the other living creatures on our farm. The economic and ecological chain needs to go together.

Axelle Eliot, French laying hens farmer at Ferme du Petit Bois, said:

In 2025, I started raising laying hens. On 1 hectare of outdoor range and in a 300 m² building, my 1,800 hens provide organic eggs every day to a whole short‑supply‑chain network that immediately showed strong interest. This professional activity allows me to earn a minimum salary while still having time for other commitments.

Farmers and MEPs gather in Brussels to demand an End to the Cage Age