2023-10-13 22:41:58
Compassion in World Farming patron Dr Jane Goddall calls on the EU to fulfill its two-year-old promise to ban the use of cages for farm animals on World Anti-Cage Day this Friday, 13 October.
Thus, the EU promise of 2021 came in response to the ‘End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative’ (ICE) signed by more than 1.4 million citizens under a campaign in which 170 NGOs participated coordinated by Compassion In World Farming (CIWF).
In this way, according to NGOs, this democratic process requires the European Commission to present a new law proposal before the end of 2023.
The 2003 Princess of Asturias Award winner has sent a video to the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in which she expresses her displeasure at the lack of commitment to reforms in her speech on the state of the Union.
“It seems he has listened to big business, rather than the millions of EU citizens who support the promised cage ban,” Goodall said.
Furthermore, the doctor explained that annually 300 “sentient” animals are caged and confined in industrial farms throughout the EU, while criticizing industrial breeding systems, which, being “obsolete”, cause suffering to millions of animals.
On the other hand, CIWF asks its collaborators to show their support for this ban by disseminating images of their hands illustrated with a drawing of cage bars on social networks using the hashtag #EndTheCageAge.
It is not reflected in the representatives elected by European citizens
The NGO joined other organizations and citizens at a demonstration in front of the European Commission building in Brussels to demand the publication of all proposed revisions to animal welfare legislation, including the promised ban on cages.
On the other hand, a CIWF analysis of MEPs’ votes on farm animal welfare since the start of the parliamentary term in 2019 reveals differences between what citizens ask for and how MEPs vote.
Through the review of 16 European Parliament votes on farm animal welfare, it has emerged that eight out of ten Europeans believe these animals should be better protected.
According to CIWF, this is not reflected in the representatives elected by European citizens, since of 10,625 individual votes analyzed, only four out of ten votes were in favor of greater welfare for farm animals.
In more detail, in the case of Spain, 84% of Spaniards think that the welfare of these animals should be better protected, while the analysis gives the country 29% favorable votes and places it among the last countries below from Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.
The CIWF representative in Spain, Patricia de Rada, has expressed her indignation towards the EU for listening to big companies and ignoring the will of Europeans, since 94% believe in the importance of farm animals.
“It would be absolutely shameful if the European Union were limited to shelving the plans at this very advanced stage: it would be a mockery of democracy and the entire ECI process,” he stressed regarding the EU’s lack of commitment to the ban. of cages.
Finally, de Rada has assured that they will intensify the campaign to ensure that the EU “turns every cage into an empty cage.”
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