The European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture voted, on Friday 21 May, to phase out the use of cages for farm animals by 2027, following an impact assessment (see EUROPE 12719/24).
Responding to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) ‘End the Cage Age’, MEPs called on the European Commission, in a draft resolution (adopted with 39 votes in favour, 4 against and 3 abstentions), to review the existing rules on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes. These legal changes should pave the way to phasing out the use of cages in EU animal farming after a transition period.
Alternatives to caged farming exist and are being successfully implemented in a number of Member States.
The gradual end of caged farming should be based on a species-by-species approach that would take into account the characteristics of different animals, say the MEPs. They call for proper support (adequate advisory and training services, incentives and financial programmes), “before making any legislative changes”. This would prevent farmers from losing their competitive edge and EU production being consequently relocated abroad, where animal welfare standards are lower than in the EU. The draft resolution will be debated at the next European Parliament plenary session (7-10 June).
Compassion in World Farming welcomed this vote: https://bit.ly/3wCvMqL (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)