Caged-animal Farming to be Outlawed by the EU

Keeping rabbits, hens, pigs, quails, ducks, calves, and geese in cages will be outlawed in all 27 EU member states by 2027 at the latest, even though the European Commission has made prior pledges to end most caged animal farming by 2023. The additional 4-year window is intended to give member states time to phase out caged farming. Now, the rules must be endorsed by the member states’ governments and the European Parliament. The proposal includes providing a compensation package for farmers.

The EC proposal was drafted after a successful European Citizen Initiative signed by over 1.4 million Europeans initiated by an NGO called Compassion in World Farming. Across the EU, there are still an estimated 300 million animals spending most or all of their lives in cages.

At the announcement on Wednesday EU health commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, stated: “Animals are sentient beings and we have a moral, societal responsibility to ensure that on-farm conditions for animals reflect this.”

Source: Euobserver