Denmark pushing animal welfare agenda in the EU

Food minister wants standards improved across all member states

Feb 16, 2016

Denmark has teamed up with Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands to pressure the EU into putting animal welfare higher on its agenda.

The food minister, Eva Kjer Hansen, is among the European food and agriculture ministers in Brussels today taking part in a joint European dialogue forum regarding the issue.

“We must discuss improving animal welfare across the EU board – I believe that dialogue is the way forward,” said Hansen.

“By bringing together not only the member states and the Commission, but agriculture and animal welfare organisations, we set the stage for a broad dialogue in which the exchange of knowledge and experience can lead to new ideas and good initiatives.”

EU Commissioner taking look
Hansen pointed to Denmark having years of experience working towards better animal welfare for animals in the agriculture sector as well as pets in general. One example of this is the horse area, which is regulated in Denmark, as opposed to many EU nations.

In December 2014, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands signed a joint document calling for a revision of the transport initiative (the protection of animals during transport), and in April 2015, the three countries and Sweden signed another document regarding the revision of the EU directive concerning minimum requirements for pigs.

Vytenis Andriukaitis, the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, has already announced he will continue to work with the proposal.