Please find news, upcoming events, and activities below.
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 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.
In an article in Landbouwleven, an independent weekly newspaper for Belgian farmers, our Legislative Advocacy Manager, Gabriela Kubíková, talks about the European Commission’s promises for a ban on the killing of day-old male chicks.
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.”
1.6 billion cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry are transported across EU countries and outside the EU every year, making the bloc the biggest live animal exporter in the world. EU legislation on the protection of animals during transport is more than 20 years old – but the European Commission’s proposal for new rules on animal welfare during transport has been stuck with the co-legislators since its publication in December 2023.
Earlier this year, Nueva Pescanova abandoned its plans to build the world’s first commercial octopus farm in Gran Canaria, Spain. The threat will not go away until we have a ban on octopus farming in EU law. A joint letter to the European Commission, coordinated by CIWF, explains why farming carnivorous aquatic species is inherently incompatible with animal welfare.
Our new White Paper, “Reforming Pig Welfare in the European Union: The Case for a Cage-Free Future,” has been featured on the website of the German Veterinarian Network.
We’re honored to have been named “promising Belgian charity of 2026” by Effectief Geven, an independent advisory centre that helps people and organizations in Belgium donate effectively.
Our newly published White Paper, “Reforming Pig Welfare in the European Union: The Case for a Cage-Free Future,” made the news in Vegconomist, the vegan business magazine, today.
Our latest publication is a White Paper advocating for stronger protection of pigs under EU law through a prohibition of caged farming. “Reforming Pig Welfare in the European Union: The Case for a Cage-Free Future,” by Gabriela Kubíková, Artūrs Kaņepājs, Griffin Carpenter and Marietheres Reinke, presents a compelling argument for a transition to free farrowing in the pig sector, with the aim of informing the Commission’s ongoing modernization of animal welfare legislation.
Our Legislative Advocacy Manager, Gabriela Kubíková, has been quoted in an article by Zach Boren, “Inside Big Ag’s plot to kill the EU Green Deal”. The article reveals how Copa Cogeca, the federation of European farming interests, undermined and pushed back against the EU’s green farming commitments – including by using delay tactics to slow the lawmaking process.
We’re one of the NGOs included in Food Ingredients First’s coverage of the Livestock Strategy. “The European Institute for Animal Law & Policy struck a […] cautious tone,” they write. “It noted that the strategy “creates no legal obligations” by itself and that the cage phase-out is not yet dated. Still, it welcomed the fact that there are now concrete dates for legislative proposals.”
The European Commission revealed its Livestock Strategy today, adding yet another document to the Commission’s announced reforms for farmed animals. But announcements alone will not improve the lives of animals. We will continue the fight, with other animal advocates and concerned citizens, to make sure the Commission follows through on today’s announced reforms.
An open letter signed by more than 30 organizations was sent to Commissioner Hansen yesterday expressing concerns that the forthcoming Livestock Strategy will fail to recognize the scale of industrial animal farming’s contribution to global warming. Methane is the second largest contributor to present-day warming, after CO2 emissions – and in the EU, around 60% of all methane pollution comes from raising farmed animals.
Our new Omnibus Tracker offers a centralized, user-friendly overview of the scope of the European Commission’s ten “omnibus” regulations, which amend dozens of regulations and directives simultaneously, and how they relate to animal protection issues.
Despite decades of EU legislation and constitutional recognition of animal sentience, industrial farming, the wildlife trade, and animal-based research continue to thrive. A new book edited by Prof. Aude-Solveig Epstein and Alice Di Concetto argues that meaningful progress for animals will remain limited unless economic law itself is rethought and reformed in a consistent, systemic, and far-reaching manner, placing animal welfare at the heart of corporate governance and market regulation.
In her latest law review article, published in the Review of European and Comparative Law , Gabriela Kubíková (Legislative Advocacy Manager) examines the legislation governing the welfare of chickens. She stresses the need for a more evidence-based approach to animal welfare law and policy, emphasizing the necessity of revising the current EU legislative framework.
A paper co-authored by our Junior Researcher, Gladys Le Goff, with the Stockholm Environment Institute and Leiden University claims that industrial insect farming may not be the climate and animal welfare solution it is often portrayed to be. Greenhouse gas emissions generated from insect production can approach those of chicken and pork, and plant-based and cultivated proteins are more promising alternatives that should not be neglected or under-explored at the expense of investment in insect farming.
Alice Di Concetto will speak about regulatory alignment between Ukrainian and EU animal welfare law at the Ukrainian Veterinary Medicine Fund Congress in June.
Registration closes this week for June’s UK Animal Law Conference, at which our Executive Director, Alice Di Concetto, will be giving a presentation on animals in economic law with Professor Aude Solveig Epstein. Co-organized by the UK Centre for Animal Law (A-law) and the Multispecies Collective.
A new book edited by Alice Di Concetto and Aude-Solveig Epstein, “Animals in EU Economic Law: A New Approach to Protecting Sentient Beings,” explores how economic law can be reimagined to prioritize animal welfare.
While we await the outcome of the EU Court of Justice hearing about whether the European Commission has to deliver on its commitment to ban cages, our latest factsheet outlines why this long-overdue step is so crucial.
Legislative Advocacy Manager Gabriela Kubíková is quoted extensively in an article in El Confidencial about a recent advance in in-ovo sexing. A new method from Spain is combining AI and MRI to analyze up to 24,000 eggs per hour without opening them.
Alice Di Concetto will be a speaker at Lewis & Clark Law School’s Center for Animal Law Studies’ inaugural International Aquaculture Law & Policy Symposium on June 5, 2026 at the University of Birmingham, UK. This one-day, in-person event is being held in collaboration with co-hosts Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) and the Multispecies Collective.
In an article published by RFI, Junior Researcher Gladys Le Goff was interviewed about the legality of sharing videos of fish and insect torture on social media.
Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor) was quoted in an investigative report published in Voxeurop about the thousands of farmed animals who perished in floods in Europe.
Ahead of the first “Food Dialogue,” which will take place on March 5th at the Commission, we joined forced with 15 civil society organizations and sent a joint letter to Commissioners Stéphane Séjourné, Christophe Hansen, and Oliver Varhelyi urging them to take strong measures regarding public food procurement in the EU.
If you missed our January webinar discussing Dr. Neil Dullaghan’s new book, “The Compassion Mandate: Remaking the European Union’s Leadership on Farmed Animal Welfare,” you can now watch the recording on our YouTube channel.
Alice Di Concetto will be one of the panelists at “Label the Future: Europe Goes Vegan” at the European Parliament on January 28th. Hosted by MEP Sebastian Everding and organized by the Green REV Institute, the event will discuss vegan labeling in the EU and the future of transparent, reliable food information.
Join us at our webinar on 26th January, when Dr. Neil Dullaghan and Alice Di Concetto will discuss his new book, “The Compassion Mandate.” It examines how the EU’s leadership on animal welfare advanced and then stalled, and how Europe’s credibility as a champion of humane progress can be rebuilt.
Our yearly review of EU animal law developments is out. Overall, 2025 has been a difficult year for animals and this yearly review shows the need for continued advocacy and commitment in the legal sphere.
Our annual report includes a recap of our publications, media appearances, and our plans for the upcoming year. As we reflect upon our fifth year of operation, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our donors, subscribers, and friends for their continued support.
Gabriela Kubíková (Legislative Advocacy Manager) authored a book review of Simon Brooman, Debbie Legge, Deborah Rook and Rachel Dunn’s book “Animal Law: Challenges and Theme,” published with 5m Books. The review was published in the Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy.
Together with 600+ organizations, the Institute co-signed a letter calling on the European Commission, Parliament, and Council to immediately withdraw this proposed ban on 29 meat-related terms for plant-based products.
On December 5th, Hugo Menotti (Legal Advocacy Manager) will speak at a conference at the University of Bologna, “Istanze Di Soggettività Fra Mondo Naturale e Mondo Artificiale” (Instances Of Subjectivity Between Natural And Artificial Worlds). His presentation will be about the legal status of animals in France.
On November 26th, Junior Researcher Gladys Le Goff took the floor at the French National Assembly, contributing to a hearing on the recent motion for an EU Resolution to adapt the legal status of animals in sanctuaries.
Our conference with LFDA in Brussels last week, “Animal Protection and EU Law: Recent Developments and Prospective Change,” brought together over 50 participants from more than 30 organizations.
Hugo Menotti (Legal Advocacy Manager) authored a compelling analysis of a recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the EU that classifies animals on flights as baggage rather than as passengers.
The Institute’s legal team was quoted in a report by the investigative media outlet Solomon regarding the recent mass slaughter of animals in Greece, carried out despite effective alternatives, in an effort to preserve the country’s trading capabilities.
The Brussels Times was side by side with us in shock that there was no mention of animal welfare in the European Commission’s 2026 Work Programme last week.
There are just over three weeks to go until our Brussels conference, “Animal Protection and EU Law: Recent Developments and Prospective Change.”
If you missed last week’s webinar launching our White Paper with Almo Nature and Deutscher TierschutzBund, “The Protection of Cats and Dogs in EU Law – Companion for Life: From Ownership to Responsibility,” you can now watch it on Almo Nature’s YouTube channel.
Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor) was quoted in Euractiv, together with other speakers, about the event that took place in the European Parliament on October 14th about efforts to criminalize the entry of illegally-sourced animals into the EU.
The European Commission’s Work Programme for 2026 is out today – and there’s no mention of the cage ban that we’re owed, or any other improvements for animals raised for food in the bloc, despite what Commissioner Várhelyi promised several times this year.
On October 30th, the Jeremy Coller Foundation (Coller Animal Law Forum) will organize a webinar on the topic of climate change litigation and factory farming, with Daina Bray (Yale Law School), Edie Bowles (Animal Law Foundation) and Nieves Noval, moderated by Alice Di Concetto and Celine Montloin.
Gabriela Kubíková (Legislative Advocacy Manager) was quoted in Vegconomist about the recent proposal by a resolution to end cages in EU law submitted in the French Parliament.
We already know that Europe’s citizens want to see an end to caged farming, with 1.4 million adding their signatures to the ‘End the Cage Age’ ECI. We also know that in 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for a ban. Now, just ahead of the European Commission’s release of its Work Programme for 2026, it seems that more than 30 French MPs – most of whom are on the right or center of the political spectrum – feel the same way.
On October 17th, the Stop the Grind coalition will organize a webinar as part of Ocean Week. Hugo Menotti (Legal Advocacy Manager) will present on the opportunities that exist in EU international trade law to end the Grind in the Faroe Islands.
Together with 400+ organizations from 22 countries, we co-signed a letter, we call on the European Commission, Parliament, and Council to withdraw the proposed ban on 29 meat-related terms for plant-based products.
Fur farming used to be a significant sector of the animal farming industry in the European Union (EU), but has undergone a precipitous decline over the past years. By Gabriela Kubíková, Legislative Advocacy Manager.
We’re delighted to announce the launch event of our upcoming White Paper with Almo Nature and Deutscher TierschutzBund, “The Protection of Cats and Dogs in EU Law – Companion for Life: From Ownership to Responsibility.”
Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor) will speak on a panel in an event about animal trafficking at the European Parliament on October 14th. The event is organized by MEPs for Wildlife alongside Four Paws, IFAW, Humane World for Animals, Pro Wildlife, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
We supported a joint statement from the Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements (CFFA) to the FAO Subcommittee on Trade asking that they stop encouraging the mass production of aquatic animals and adopt a coherent approach that considers animal welfare, the environment, and local communities.
Animal Welfare was notably absent from Ursula von der Leyen’s SOTEU, says the Brussels Times, quoting our Legislative Advocacy Manager Gabriel Kubikova: “The long overdue modernization of standards on the treatment of animals should be championed by all political actors.”
As Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers her State of the Union address, we note the absence of any mention of plans that will improve the lives of Europe’s animals.
Join Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor) at the “International Disputes in Animal Law” webinar on Thursday October 2nd. Organised by The Animal Legal Education Initiative (ALEI) at GW Law.
Join the European Vegan Summit 2025 online, on 9th-11th September. Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor) will take part in the panel discussion “Behind the Green Curtain: the Food Industry’s Marketing Tricks” on September 11th.
We are excited to announce a conference we’re co-organizing with the Fondation Droit Animal, Éthique & Sciences (LFDA), “Animal Protection and EU Law: Recent Developments and Prospective Change.”
Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor) was was quoted in an article published on Vox.com on the new Swiss food labeling laws.
Alice Di Concetto contributed to the Concise Encyclopedia of Animal Law with two entries on “Animals Used in Research and EU and International Law” and “Overview of EU Animal Law.” Use the code “ANML35” for a 35% discount.
On July 1st – 2nd, Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor) was invited to discuss existing challenges to the legal representation of animal interests before the courts in Europe. The event took place at the Max Planck Institute for International and Comparative Law, in Hamburg (Germany).
Gabriela Kubíková (Policy Advisor) was interviewed by the Catalan News Agency (Agència Catalana de Notícies) about the recent vote on the cats and dogs regulation in the Parliament.
Alice Di Concetto co-authored an article with Hugo Marro-Menotti, published in the Sorbonne Doctoral Law review. The article presents the legal strategies advocates have used to achieve change for animals.
Alice Di Concetto (Executive Director) was interviewed by James Özden on the podcast “How I Learned to Love Shrimp” to discuss the recent developments in EU farm animal welfare reforms.
As a member of the Aquatic Animal Alliance, the Institute co-signed a letter calling the United Nations to make animal welfare a priority of global ocean policy. The letter was presented at the UN Ocean Conference, which took place in Nice.
The Institute joined forced with 130+ organizations under the leadership of the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) to present a policy path to achieve more humane food systems in the EU.
An article by Alice Di Concetto has been published in the Revista Catalana de Dret Públic (Catalan Journal of Public Law). The article, which is available in English, posits that EU legislature should integrate animal welfare rules across all policies affecting the treatment of animals.
This new research note examines the policy and regulatory instruments currently in place to limit and regulate greenhouse gas emissions from animal agriculture in the EU.
Yesterday the European Parliament’s AGRI Committee voted for the proposed “Regulation on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability” by 35 to 2, approving legislation that, for the first time in the history of EU law, will establish animal welfare standards for breeders and sellers of cats and dogs, mandate microchipping and registration as part of the sales process, and strengthen regulations to reduce the risks of illegal trafficking.
Grey wolves in Europe can no longer rely on strict protection under the Habitats Directive after a vote by MEPs today to downgrade them to “protected.”
It’s a bleak time for animals this Parliamentary term—but one glimmer of hope has been the long-overdue revision of the EU’s outdated live transport rules. After years of horror stories and policy inaction, it finally looked as if meaningful reform was on the table.
A joint letter with Four Paws and over 50 other organizations urges stricter amendments to the EU’s new “Regulation on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability.”
This White Paper, published in collaboration with L214, provides the latest information on technologies that could spare hundreds of millions of chicks from being brutally killed in European hatcheries.
Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor at the Institute) authored an article on EU animal protection policies in a special issue of the review of the Fundació Irla, a Catalan think-tank promoting liberal thought.
The Institute has joined forces with 90+ organizations to call for a moratorium on deep-sea mining. This declaration will be delivered to the UN Ocean Conference in France in June.
This article co-authored by Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor at the Institute), Ilaria Cimadori (University of Yale) and Khara Grieger (North Carolina State University) was published in the European Journal of Risk Regulation.
The Institute co-signed a statement jointly with other organizations of the Food Policy Coalition calling on the European Commission to promote animal welfare policy goals.
Our exhibition with EEB, “Factory Farming: Unveiling the Hidden Costs,” which took place in the European Parliament this week, received press coverage in key Brussels’ media, including the Brussels Times and POLITICO.
On April 3rd (World Aquatic Animal Day), Alice Di Concetto and Gabriela Kubíková will deliver a presentation on the treatment of fish during slaughter in EU law in a roundtable organized by Ethical Seafood Research and Global Research Network.
Join our Chief Legal Advisor, Alice Di Concetto, and other leading scholars on March 31st as they explore how legal frameworks should evolve to protect wild animals in a changing world. Hosted by the Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy and the Global Research Network Think Tank on Animals and Biodiversity.
It’s all too easy to fool ourselves when we think about where our food comes from. Say the word “farm” and the average person may think of open fields, animals roaming freely, and harmony between nature and agriculture.
This article authored by Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor) was published in the International Journal of Wildlife Law & Policy.
This Research Note, published in partnership with Ethical Seafood Research, provides an overview of the EU legislative acts relevant to the treatment of farmed fish.
Our annual report includes a recap of our publications, media appearances, and our plans for the upcoming year. As we reflect upon our fourth year of operation, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our donors, subscribers, and friends for their continued support.
We’re thrilled to announce our latest publication, “Recent Developments in EU Animal Law & Policy 2019-2024” – a comprehensive collection of new legislation and court rulings impacting animals across the EU.
Olga Kikou (Director of Advocacy) was quoted in this piece by the Brussels Times on the European Commission work program for agriculture and food, highlighting the lack of ambition of the Commission regarding animal protection and food transition.
In the European Commission’s Vision for Agriculture and Food, we see little that gives us confidence that things will change for animals. Is it simply a band-aid on a broken bone—covering up the issues without addressing the deeper, structural problems that need real transformation?
On February 21st, Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor) will present at the French Senate during a conference celebrating the 10th year anniversary of the recognition of animal sentience in French civil law.
Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Advisor) will present on the protection of fish in EU and UK law at the Fish Veterinary Society’s annual conference, which will take place in Edinburgh on March 4th – 5th.
Together with more than 70 EU-based organizations, the Institute co-signed a position paper advocating for building synergies between civil society groups to achieve the implementation of sustainable food policies in the EU.
Today we’re releasing a joint letter signed by 133 organisations – including BEUC, EPHA, Birdlife, IFOAM and Freshfel – that calls on Commissioner Christophe Hansen to adopt an EU Action Plan for Plant-Based Food by 2026.
Olga Kikou (Director of Advocacy) was quoted in this piece by Yle (in Finnish) about how industrial farming lobbies have stalled cage-free reforms in EU law.
Over the course of her five-year mandate, Alice Di Concetto will play a key role in ensuring that the interests of animals are properly represented in discussions regarding their use in scientific research, as mandated in Directive 2010/63 on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes.
Our Director of Advocacy, Olga Kikou, thanked Commissioner Kyriakides for her commitment to animal welfare in a op-ed published in The Brussels Times. “We hope her successor will recognize the critical importance of animal protection,” said Olga.
Olga Kikou (Director of Advocacy) was quoted in this piece by Euractiv about the proposal for a new regulation on the transport of animals. Olga cautioned against the use of vague wording that might undermine animal protection goals.
Alice Di Concetto (Chief Legal Adviser) will present on animals and business law at a roundtable on Animals and Law & Economics, at the annual conference of the French Association for Law and Economics, in Paris. The conference will take place in Paris. All presentations will be in English.
