24 June 2024

Press Release

As accession negotiations between the EU and Ukraine start this week, Eurogroup for Animals highlights the need to prioritise animal welfare in the discussions, to ensure that through the right support, Ukraine elevates its standards to match those envisioned in the Union.

The accession of Ukraine to the EU is an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of animals, given Ukraine’s substantial livestock agriculture. At present, Ukraine represents the second largest egg producer after France, and has the fourth largest poultry sector. Agricultural products account for 41% of Ukraine’s exports, with animal products estimated to make up almost a third of this, most of which are poultry and eggs. In 2023 alone, millions of animals were farmed and slaughtered in the country, of which 712 million poultry. Yet, current animal welfare standards in Ukraine fall below current EU standards.

While it is welcome that Ukraine is already taking steps to match EU standards through the adoption of rules on keeping farm animals, it is crucial that negotiations reflect upcoming EU standards, like cage free-farming. This will allow producers to make future-proof investments, avoiding additional changes and costs in the coming years, and ensuring that Ukraine is already aligned with standards in other Member States when accession is complete. The EU should support this transition by providing details on the upcoming animal welfare legislation and through adequate support to joining countries. 

This should also apply to the implementation of other animal-related EU laws, such as protection of wildlife and biodiversity, which have been significantly threatened by Russia’s war in Ukraine, as well as animals used in science and companion animals. 

These negotiations also offer a chance for the EU to rethink its farm policies, particularly in ensuring that funds are not supporting unsustainable farming practices. 

Considering the scale of agriculture in the country, Ukraine would be eligible for a quarter of the CAP budget, sparking discussions on the current payment model based on hectares. These policies should include stronger conditionality to the improvement of animal welfare and supporting transitions from intensive farming to a resilient, sustainable one.

The accession negotiations coincide with the next legislative term, a crucial one for animal welfare: the European Commission must come forward with revised animal welfare legislation that provides adequate protection for all farm animals, from farm to slaughter, while a concrete timeline and action plan for ending cage farming should be a priority.

We welcome the start of negotiations with Ukraine to join the EU, and hope that the chance is used to elevate the lives of millions of animals in the country. Failing to support Ukraine to transition to anticipated EU animal welfare standards would lead to a two-speed Europe, which would not only be bad news for the animals but also for EU consumers and producers. It is therefore vital that the EU comes forward with revised legislation and an action plan to end cage farming across the continent, including in Ukraine, as soon as possible.

Reineke Hameleers, CEO, Eurogroup for Animals

Regards Mark