European Commission has published a working paper reviewing the results and challenges of the current EU animal welfare legislation („fitness check”).

The document shows that the current legislation has brought additional benefits to animals and society in terms of reducing the use of antibiotics, raising the quality of animal food and „animal welfare” on farms. The largest number of deficiencies have been shown in the case of dairy cows.

We would like to underline that the review is meant to support the ambitions of the EU Farm to Fork strategy, a green transformation of the food system. Unfortunately, we do not find concrete solutions in the working document. The European Commission needs to work with the scientific community, notice and address properly the animal production sector’s impact on biodiversity, climate, environment, animal rights and human rights.

Foto: Jo-Anne McArthur/ We Animals Media