FOUR PAWS, along with partners of the End the Cage Age Coalition, gathered today at Place Schuman in Brussels to urge the European Commission to take immediate action towards a cage-free future for farmed animals.

During the event, FOUR PAWS sent an open letter, co-signed by more than 280 stakeholders – including international organisations and 178 sector professionals, such as veterinary representatives, scientists, lawyers, consumer groups, high-profile supporters, industry representatives and farmers from across the EU calling for the urgent publication of legislative proposals to end the use of cages for all farmed animal species still confined across the European Union. No representative of Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, was present to receive the letter.

The veterinary association Caring Vets added its voice to the call: “We know that keeping animals in cages means a severe violation from the animal welfare point of view. We therefore support the call for a ban on cages for farmed animals in the EU.”

Years after the success of the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) End the Cage Age, which collected 1.4 million signatures from EU citizens demanding an end to cage farming, and five years after the European Commission made a commitment to phase out cage farming, an estimated 300 million animals continue to suffer in cages every year. Despite previous commitments from the European Commission, legislative proposals are yet to be published and many species have been omitted from the Livestock Strategy.

The demonstration featured a symbolic performance in which a person dressed as Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi held a giant key while surrounded by figures representing caged animals including pigs, calves, chickens, and rabbits. The powerful visual carried a clear message: “Olivér Várhelyi, you hold the key to a cage-free Europe.”

Building on this message, the End the Cage Age Coalition is calling on the European Commission to honour the ECI’s democratic mandate and to publish, without delay, strong legislative proposals to end caged farming and improve conditions for all farmed species in the EU, that are based on animal welfare science, ensure a swift transition to cage-free and support farmers through funding and import restrictions.

Luciana D’Abramo, Chief Programme Officer at FOUR PAWS, spoke for the millions of farmed animals still living in cages across Europe, from laying hens and sows to calves, rabbits, geese, ducks, and quail:

When you see animals spending their lives behind bars, unable to turn around, see daylight or express their natural behaviours, it is impossible not to ask: surely, we can do better than this? More than 1.4 million Europeans have already answered that question. They want an end to cages and a shift to a farming system that treats animals with more dignity and respect. Five years after the European Commission promised to phase out cages, millions of animals are still waiting. Europe must now turn its promise of a Cage-Free Europe into reality.

Participants called on EU decision-makers to honour their commitment to end cage farming, stressing that cages severely restrict natural behaviours, causing significant welfare concerns.

Over 280 experts and industries demand no further delay to ban cages