23 October 2024

In the run-up to the candidate hearing of EU Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi, the European Commission (EC) published the answers to the written questions.

While Eurogroup for Animals welcomes aspects of the candidate’s answers to questions on animal welfare, it stresses the need for much more ambitious actions and concrete commitments to improving the lives of all animals in Europe, and to respect the wishes of citizens who have been calling for the EU to do much more in this respect.

In his answers, candidate Várhelyi promised to work on “policies [that] leave no one behind, creating conditions for truly inclusive health and animal welfare systems catered fairly to the needs of people and animals”.  

Eurogroup for Animals welcomes the commitment to modernise animal welfare legislation in line with the latest science, and acting on the End the Cage Age ECI through the phasing out of animal cages.

The answers however, are far from ambitious enough, and the candidate makes no reference to:

• A clear timeline of the revision of the legislation
• Comprehensive species-specific regulations that take into account the unique needs of certain species, like fish and meat chickens
• A ban on fur farms, as per the demands of the Fur Free Europe ECI. 
• Plans for a transition to animal-free science
• Actions to tackle the illegal pet trade
• Ensuring that animal welfare standards apply to imported products
• The introduction of and EU-wide Positive List for animals that should be kept as pets
• Enabling food environments that make healthy and sustainable diets widely available and affordable – this is crucial for a OneHealth approach.

Despite the introduction of Animal Welfare in the Commissioner’s name, a news that was widely welcomed, the mission letter barely mentioned animal welfare (only 1 of 14 items).

In reaction, in September, Eurogroup for Animals sent an ideal mission letter to EC President Ursula von der Leyen, detailing the priorities that were missing. MEPs are invited to sign the mission letter during an event that Eurogroup for Animals will host with GAIA at the European Parliament during the week starting 4 November.

With animal welfare being right there in the title of his role, we expect much more ambition on the part of candidate Várhelyi. After decades of new scientific evidence, and resounding calls from citizens, we urgently need more concrete commitments and timelines that ensure better standards for all animals in the EU, with none left behind. We call on MEPs to represent the demands of citizens and request specific answers during the hearing.

Reineke Hameleers, CEO, Eurogroup for Animals

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