European Parliament calls for a ban on caged farming and on force feeding of animals for foie gras!
From 2027, the European Parliament will ban the use of cages for pigs, calves, rabbits, chickens, quails, ducks and geese in the livestock industry. In a historic vote last week, a majority of MEPs backed the 'End The Cage Age' citizens' initiative, which 1.4 million people in Europe signed last year.
Anja Hazekamp, MEP for the Dutch Party for the Animals, after the debate and the vote in the European Parliament.
MEP Anja Hazekamp of the Dutch Party for the Animals is pleased that the European Parliament supports the 'End The Cage Age' initiative. With representatives of 12 other political parties for animal rights, nature and the environment in Europe, she called on her colleagues in Parliament to put an end to 'this cruel, outdated and unnecessary practice'. 'Hundreds of millions of animals in Europe spend their lives suffering in cages. A bill must be introduced as soon as possible to ban cages from the European Union for good', said Hazekamp.
The joint call of 13 political parties for animal rights, nature and the environment in the EU.
The call to ban animal cruelty products from countries outside the EU also received majority support. Hazekamp: 'We do not want animal suffering to be moved to countries outside the EU. That’s why imports of foreign products for which animals are kept in cages should end as well.'
Foie gras
Furthermore, the Dutch Party for the Animals’ proposal for a Europe-wide ban on coercive feeding of ducks and geese to produce foie gras was adopted. In this practice, food is violently pushed down animals' throats using a funnel, to make their liver fatter. The practice is still allowed in Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Hungary and Spain, and their foie gras can, for the time being, be sold in other countries. 'It is fantastic that there is enough support in the European Parliament to put a definitive end to this', said Anja Hazekamp.