The next meeting of the EU Platform on Animal Welfare begins on December 5.

As part of the meeting, the European Commission is expected to address the issues of:

• Food Labeling;
• Review of legislation for the protection of so-called farm animals;
• Standards for the transport of live animals.

Only 10 NGOs from across the Union actively participate in the meetings and work of the EU Platform on Animal Welfare. Representation from the agricultural industry is disproportionately greater.

As part of the work, we are fighting to integrate animal welfare into the debate on food system transformation. A just transition means taking animals off our plates and moving to plant-based diets. Resources and legislation must be redirected to support investment in the plant sector and the restructuring of the meat, egg, dairy sectors to produce plant-based successors to animal foods.

Reforms must address ending financial support, building a system of climate, health and ethically just food labeling, and closing factory farms.

Photo: unsplash