On Wednesday 16 February, the European Parliament called for a “harmonised and mandatory EU framework with common requirements for voluntary animal welfare labelling”.
In adopting (496 votes in favour, 140 against and 51 abstentions) the report by Jérémy Decerle (Renew Europe, France) assessing animal welfare on farms, the European Parliament also asked the European Commission to negotiate, at multilateral level and in the framework of bilateral agreements, “reciprocity clauses (...) regarding compliance with animal welfare standards for imported products”.
The alternative, more animal welfare-friendly resolution proposed by the European Parliament’s Environment Committee was rejected: 182 votes in favour (mainly from the Greens/EFA and The Left), 496 against and 21 abstentions.
Only one amendment (from the Greens/EFA group) was accepted in plenary, calling on Member States to “exclude the possibility of farmers receiving CAP (common agricultural policy) voluntary coupled support for cattle whose final sale is for activities related to bullfighting”. The other amendments were rejected, including the one against foie gras production.
The European Commission is due to present a proposal by the end of 2023 to revise animal welfare legislation on the transport and slaughter of animals.
The rapporteur, Jérémy Decerle, is “satisfied” with the outcome of the vote. “Before considering mandatory labelling” certifying animal welfare, it is necessary to provide “a European framework to harmonise the different rules” that exist in EU countries, he told EUROPE on Wednesday.
Farmers should be “financially rewarded” for the changes they implement, he also argued. Finally, “mirror clauses” are necessary, according to Mr Decerle, so that what is required of EU farmers in terms of compliance with standards “is also required for products from third countries”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)