This result is a clear reflection of citizens’ wishes: that the EU does better for all animals. Over 95% of all responses were submitted by individual EU citizens, while the remaining by non-EU citizens, academics and business, among others.
The public consultation was published earlier this year, marking a two-year delay since the European Commission promised to deliver a proposal to update the regulation that protects animals kept on farms.
This regulation, which impacts up to 2 billion animals in the EU, has not been updated for the past two decades, despite a multitude of scientific studies highlighting that it is no longer fit for purpose. In addition, the highly fragmented legislation across the EU leads to market distortions and additional burdens for stakeholders in the agri-food chain.
In 2026, animal protection organisations expect:
- The publication of a comprehensive proposal for the revised animal welfare legislation including a ban to phase out cages in response to the End the Cage Age ECI.
- A ban on fur farms and fur products on the EU market when the European Commission provides an official reply to the European Citizens’ Initiative Fur Free Europe by March.
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