Overwhelming majority of Europeans urge Commission to prioritise modernisation of farmed animal welfare laws
With more than 190,000 responses, the consultation reflects exceptional public engagement.
Brussels, 2 March 2026 – Global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS welcomes the overwhelmingly strong results of the European Commission’s Public Consultation on the modernisation of the EU’s on-farm animal welfare rules, published on 27 February. With more than 190,000 responses, the consultation reflects exceptional public engagement – driven largely by EU citizens – and sends a clear message: Europe is ready to move away from cages and to end the systematic killing of day-old male chicks.
The results show near unanimous support for higher animal welfare standards across all affected species:
- 99% of citizens consider phasing out cages for laying hens and pigs important or very important; similar support (98–99%) is recorded for calves, pullets, broiler breeders, rabbits, ducks and geese.
- Even among businesses and associations, 44–54% support ending cages.
- Almost 98% of all respondents consider the practice of killing of day‑old male chicks ethically problematic. 56% of companies share this view.
- 96% support requiring equivalent animal welfare standards for imported animal‑derived products.
- 89% believe animal welfare indicators would help improve enforcement; over half of companies (53%) agree.
FOUR PAWS urges the European Commission to finally publish the legislative proposals that have been repeatedly promised under the “End the Cage Age” commitment.
Background Information:
The Public Consultation was conducted by the European Commission from September to December 2025 to engage in close dialogue with farmers, food supply chain actors, and civil society. It can be seen as a fundamental step in the legislative process to update the European Union’s animal welfare legislation. One of the Commissions most significant pledges was to build on its 2021 commitment to end the use of cages for farmed animals, made in response to the widely supported End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative, signed by 1.4 million people. The promised proposals are still not delivered by the Commission.
The outcome of the public consultation can be read here.
FOUR PAWS is the global animal welfare organisation for animals under direct human influence, which reveals suffering, rescues animals in need and protects them. Founded in 1988 in Vienna by Heli Dungler and friends, the organisation advocates for a world where humans treat animals with respect, empathy and understanding. The sustainable campaigns and projects of FOUR PAWS focus on companion animals including stray dogs and cats, farm animals and wild animals – such as bears, big cats and orangutans – kept in inappropriate conditions as well as in disaster and conflict zones. With offices in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Kosovo, the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, the UK, the USA and Vietnam as well as sanctuaries for rescued animals in eleven countries, FOUR PAWS provides rapid help and long-term solutions. www.four-paws.be