The Commission’s New Work Programme: Where Are the Animals?
The European Commission’s Work Programme for 2027 is out today – and it contains no mention of the promise to revise standards for laying hens, broiler chickens, and pigs.
A scientific opinion published in October by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) was partly informed by the research work of Anatole Poinsot, our Legal Advisor, and his co-authors, Eugénie Duval and Benjamin Lecorps.
The opinion looks at existing alternatives to the killing of cows suffering Brucellosis – a non-deadly disease that affects cows’ fertility and productivity.
In March Anatole, Eugénie (University of Exeter) and Benjamin (University of Bristol) participated in a hearing before ANSES, the French equivalent of EFSA, where they shared the findings of their research on the legal framework governing mass killing of animals during disease outbreaks. This research demonstrates the possibility and necessity need to adopt measures alternative to the systemic killing of animals and of integrating animal welfare considerations into disease-control decisions.
Thanks to this work, the ANSES scientific opinion explicitly recognizes animal welfare as a factor that should be taken into account when determining the most appropriate measures to control brucellosis outbreaks. It also proposes a detailed protocol for targeted disease-control measures, testing, and surveillance, with the goal of increasing the protection of animals on farms.
The European Commission’s Work Programme for 2027 is out today – and it contains no mention of the promise to revise standards for laying hens, broiler chickens, and pigs.
Les travaux de recherche d’Anatole Poinsot (conseiller juridique), menés avec Eugénie Duval, ont été cités dans un avis de l’ANSES portant sur la mise en oeuvre de
mesures alternatives à l’abattage des animaux dans le cadre de survenance de foyers de brucellose.
The European Commission’s Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture is out, and we’re happy to see a mention of animal welfare. The text says the Commission will “further develop the EU framework for the welfare of farmed aquatic animals across all stages of production, building on existing good husbandry practices, guidance and scientific knowledge.”
