10/01/2024 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 8 January, the European Ombudsman opened an enquiry to assess the reasons for the European Commission’s failure to publish a legislative proposal to phase out and eventually ban cages for farm animals, in line with its official response to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) ‘End the Cage Age’. The NGO Eurogroup for Animals wrote to the Commission last October after the latter refused to present, before the end of 2023, a proposal arising from this ECI (see EUROPE 13305/8). The European Ombudsman has asked the Commission to send an official response to Eurogroup for Animals by the end of January. The subject of ending cage farming has not been covered in the Commission’s proposals on improving animal welfare (see EUROPE 13309/7). Further information: https://aeur.eu/f/ab8 (LC)