Hungarian Commissioner responsible for animal welfare in the European Commission

The new European Commission took office on 1 December, after the board led by Ursula von der Leyen received final approval from the European Parliament. The new Commission was elected by MEPs with 370 votes in favour, 282 against, and 36 abstentions. The 27-member College of Commissioners will set the priorities and ambitions of the European Commission for the period 2024-2029, based on the political guidelines that President Ursula von der Leyen presented to the European Parliament on the day of her election. These priorities build on the work of the first mandate and focus and direct attention on strengthening the future of Europe and its citizens in the coming years.

The National Chamber of Agriculture welcomes the fact that for the first time since our accession to the European Union, a Hungarian Commissioner has been appointed to the board who can directly act to promote EU and domestic agricultural interests. In addition to health, Olivér Várhelyi will be responsible for animal and plant health and food safety. During the hearing of the new Commissioner, he pledged to reduce pesticide risks, promote non-chemical alternatives and maintain the EU’s high food safety standards, reassuring consumers that imported food meets the strict EU criteria. The Commissioner previously stated that if confirmed, he would talk to farmers about ways to improve animal welfare and end the “cage period”. He also committed to increasing the availability of viable alternatives to pesticides for farmers.

MEPs had previously asked Olivér Várhelyi questions on a range of topics, including the EU’s food security, the labelling of agricultural products, novel foods and the planned concrete measures to prevent and combat animal diseases.