EU Commission’s sustainable food dialogue pushes for urgent animal welfare revisions

11 Sep 2024 --- Animal protection groups welcome the conclusions of the European Commission’s (EC) Strategic Dialogue, which is set to inform the EU’s vision for agriculture and food in the first 100 days of Ursula von der Leyen’s second term as EC president. The final report urges the EC to deliver the revision of animal welfare legislation by 2026, including a phase-out of cage systems, and identifies this goal as crucial to more resilient, inclusive and sustainable food systems.

Participants of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture, which was launched in January, unanimously agree that maintaining the status quo of industrial agriculture is environmentally damaging.

Eurogroup for Animals, a participant in the Strategic Dialogue, supports the report’s contributions relating to policies on animal welfare, trade, “public money for public good,” labeling and the need to empower consumers to make sustainable and high welfare food choices.

“For the first time, we can see a consensus among all represented stakeholders in the agri-chain on the pressing need for revised animal welfare legislation and the phasing out of cages, in line with the five domains model and EFSA’s scientific recommendations,” Reineke Hameleers, CEO at Eurogroup for Animals, tells Food Ingredients First.

“The revision of legislation is foundational to kick-start a transition to sustainable agricultural models.”

The NGO is also encouraged by the report taking a long-term approach, recognizing the need to shift toward more plant-based diets and the policies required to ensure that healthy, sustainable food is available, affordable and attractive.

Public money support

The report acknowledges that a transition toward sustainable agri-food systems must prioritize high animal welfare standards — supported by public money. A reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and a new Just Transition Fund could fund such a transition.

Moreover, financial arrangements should support farmers in moving to higher welfare standards including cage-free farming.

The report urges the EC to bring an end to cage systems in animal agriculture.“It is welcoming to note the emphasis on ‘public money for public good,’ allowing stakeholders to be financially supported in making the transition to these models and start investing in future-proof solutions,” says Hameleers.

The report explicitly calls for the adoption of “import requirements in EU law consistent with the rules of the World Trade Organisation, including to benefit animal welfare,” which Eurogroup for Animals says will warrant that EU consumption does not fuel unethical and environmentally harmful practices elsewhere in the world.

The report also suggests that the EC reassess market access sections in trade agreements to address “current challenges stemming from diverging standards,” such as on animal welfare.

New labeling system

The Strategic Dialogue also concludes that consumers should have access to knowledge of their food choices through a comprehensive, multi-tiered EU-wide animal welfare labeling scheme. This scheme would include all meat and dairy products originating from and/or processed in the EU.

“The introduction of animal welfare labeling should be part of a comprehensive revision of the entire animal welfare legislation, which would set the standards on what constitutes high welfare, allowing farmers and companies, which go above and beyond, to be rewarded for their efforts,” says Hameleers.

“This labeling should apply to all animal products, whether or not they comply with the minimum EU welfare standards, allowing for consumers to have full transparency on what they are consuming and to understand the added value when they are paying more for products.”

“Labeling schemes should be comprehensive, with clear indicators of the animal welfare standards from farm to slaughter (throughout the entire production chain). They should apply to all animal products, for those originating from and/or processed in the EU and those imported.”

“The effectiveness of labeling schemes is very much dependent on coherence and trust — this will prevent false narratives and allow for transparent processes.”The dialogue’s participants agree that plant-based diets are vital to planetary health.

Trust in the system

Von der Leyen’s previous commission largely failed to deliver on its animal welfare pledges, publishing only one of four promised proposals (transport of animals). NGOs claimed that the EC’s failure to deliver on animal welfare citizen initiatives, including cage-free farming, suggested a lack of democratic process.

However, the conclusions of the Strategic Dialogue have provided optimism that animal welfare pledges will be fulfilled in this term.

“Our requests for the delivery of the animal welfare proposal is supported by all stakeholders, scientific evidence and millions of citizens who have asked for a ban on cages and better protection of farm animals in the EU,” says Hameleers.

“President Von der Leyen has promised to use this report to guide the EC’s Vision for Agriculture, which should be presented in the first 100 days of the Commission.”

“Given the clear recommendations put forward by the report, we trust that animal welfare will be a priority for the 2025 working program of the EC, moving away from the polarization on the topic experienced in the past year.”

Future-proofed farming

Eurogroup for Animals maintains it is crucial for all relevant stakeholders that updated animal welfare legislation is published without further delay, allowing investments in future-proof solutions.

The NGO welcomes the report’s call for demand-side policies ensuring that sustainable and healthy food is widely available to European consumers while rebalancing the intake of animal and plant-based protein and shifting more toward the latter.

VAT reductions, an action plan to support the development of the plant-based food sector and better food in public canteens would catalyze a shift in dietary patterns.

Meanwhile, a recommendation for faster regulatory pathways for innovative products and processes focused on sustainability should enable unhindered approval of innovative alternative proteins.

By Joshua Poole