Time spent on the revision of EU animal welfare legislation

17.11.2023

Question for written answer  E-003407/2023
to the Commission
Rule 138
Nikolaj Villumsen (The Left)

The Commission has worked towards a revision of EU animal welfare legislation since the 2020 adoption of the farm to fork strategy. The 2021 European Citizens’ Initiative, End the Cage Age, prompted the Commission to promise a proposal aimed at phasing out cages in farming. This was to be delivered before the end of 2023.

Yet no proposal has been published or planned on the revision of animal welfare legislation, except on the transport of live animals. Citizens deserve to know how many resources are wasted if the revision of the animal welfare legislation is abandoned.

• 1.As part of the initial fitness check of the EU’s existing animal welfare legislation, a public consultation was held between October 2021 and January 2022. This garnered responses from a record 59 281 respondents. How many working hours were spent preparing for, codifying, and analysing the results of this public consultation?
• 2.How many working hours has the Commission allocated to the drafting of the proposals, which were approved by the Regulatory Scrutiny Board in July?
• 3.How many working hours has the European Food Safety Authority allocated to producing animal welfare scientific opinions in the framework of the farm to fork strategy?

Submitted: 17.11.2023