Animal welfare: the Commission publishes results of its public consultation
On 27/02/2026, the Commission published the factual summary report of the public consultation on the modernisation of EU rules for on-farm animal welfare. This consultation – carried out between mid-September and mid-December 2025 – is part of the Commission’s on-going work on the revision of the existing EU animal welfare legislation.
In the Vision for Agriculture and Food, the Commission announced its intention to closely exchange with farmers, the food supply chain and civil society, and to propose a revision of EU animal welfare legislation on that basis. The public consultation received more than 190,000 responses, of which 99% came from citizens.
Results show strong support from respondents to transition to cage-free farming systems and to equivalent animal welfare standards for food imported from non-EU countries. A majority of companies, businesses and associations calls for further harmonisation and considers that clearer and more consistent EU rules for on-farm animal welfare would help, to a large or very large extent, to ensure fairer conditions for farmers across the Member States. Animal welfare indicators are generally considered as relevant tools to improve animal welfare on farms, while the systematic killing of day-old male chicks is considered as ethically problematic.
The full factual summary report is available on the consultation web page and will feed into the Commission’s work in the coming months.
European Commission - e News Health and Food Safety Directorate-General