Debate: Implementation report on on-farm animal welfare
Date: MONDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Stella Kyriakides
Language: EN

I have stressed on a number of occasions, as I’m sure many of you recall, that animal welfare is a Commission priority in our Farm to Fork strategy. More than that, it is for myself a personal priority. Not only does it have serious ethical dimensions, but it also reflects clear demands from citizens for the highest welfare standards possible. And these demands are becoming stronger by the day. So let me start by welcoming this Parliament’s implementation report on farm animal welfare. This report is very relevant for two reasons: firstly because of its timing, because we are continuing our deliberations to revise EU legislation on animal welfare; and secondly, because the broad scope of the report will provide useful input in that process. We have been working hard to lay solid foundations for the revision, in the form of a fitness check of the existing legislation and the impact assessment addressing the environmental, social and economic impacts of the legislative proposal. In doing so, I believe that we have taken the holistic approach that this House has been asking for. In parallel, the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA, is putting in place another foundation stone for the revision, namely the scientific opinions on the welfare of several animal species. These will cover issues such as animal welfare indicators and options for housing systems, and additionally we are also carrying out extensive consultation activities. The recent public consultation, for which we received almost 60 000 inputs, is one example. We are determined to bring about positive change in this important area and are listening very carefully, because every single opinion matters in this process. Honourable Members, as I mentioned a moment ago, your report deals with many issues that the revision will have to cover. I am very aware of the multidimensional nature of animal welfare and the complexity of possible options, and your report reflects these well. We do not yet have all the necessary information we need for revision and the reply to your recommendations. However, I can assure you that we are working hard to find these appropriate solutions, and the findings of ongoing scientific studies and impact assessments will help fill any gaps. As we all know, the most recent legislation on animal welfare was adopted around 15 years ago. During that time, many aspects of our relationship towards animals and the food they produce have changed dramatically. These aspects are driving us to look at a number of new elements and take a more species-specific approach, as well as broadening the legislation to other species. We all know that if we improve animal welfare, we also improve animal health. This decreases the use of medicines in animals and directly supports our efforts to deal with what we call the ‘silent pandemic’ – that of antimicrobial resistance. We are also conscious of our obligations and commitments to support our farmers. And I am pleased that your draft report includes recommendations on animal welfare labelling. Looking also at last year’s Council conclusions on this topic, I find your recommendations to reflect the broad consensus that the EU has to act and adopt a relevant legislative framework. It should be consistent with the forthcoming proposal on sustainable food systems, labelling and empowering EU consumers to make informed animal welfare choices when they buy food. And on top of that, it needs to offer farmers incentives to apply welfare standards to go beyond what is required by law. Ultimately, it should guarantee a level playing field for all business operators, so that animal welfare claims are both comparable and well substantiated. This should also apply to products coming from outside the European Union. Consumers have a right to know that these products come from animals raised in accordance with our rules. So we will take note of your recommendations. We will present a proposal on animal welfare labelling to you, together with the revision of our animal welfare legislation, before the end of 2023. And in ending, honourable Members, I know that I can count on you to be as supportive and constructive as always in the work that we undertake together, and after all, I believe that our aims are the same: better welfare for animals, better information for consumers, and also better rewards for business operators.