European Commission launches public consultation on modernising EU animal welfare legislation

(Photo: Pixabay)

The consultation launched on 18 June 2025 is an important step towards the success of this effort and the preparation of the 2026 legislative proposal. The public comment period will last for 4 weeks, until 16 July 2025.

The current EU animal welfare rules impose obligations that are not entirely clear on many issues

This has led to differences in implementation across the EU and an uneven functioning of the single market. The ongoing multi-sectoral review focuses on the progressive phasing out of caged animals for laying hens, calves, pigs and rabbits. It also addresses animal welfare indicators and their digital tracking, the extension of animal welfare requirements to imports, and the ethical issue of killing male day-old chicks. The European Commission aims to make the new legislation more transparent, uniformly enforceable and, last but not least, more ethical by publicising it, while respecting the interests of farmers and food chain stakeholders. Participation in the consultation is an important tool to ensure that future legislation reflects practical experience, professional considerations and citizens’ expectations.

Nébih