0
The European Commission has published the summary report of the public consultation on the modernisation of EU legislation on animal welfare in livestock farming. This consultation, conducted between mid-September and mid-December 2025, forms part of the Commission’s ongoing work to review existing EU animal welfare legislation.
The European Commission’s public consultation on the revision of animal welfare rules reveals broad support for the progressive phase-out of cage systems, including in pig farming. According to the report, 99% of citizens and 93% of NGOs consider it important or very important to move towards cage-free systems, while support among companies and associations stands at around 46%.
The document, framed within the Vision for Agriculture and Food initiative—under which the Commission announced its intention to maintain close dialogue with farmers, the food supply chain and civil society, and to propose a revision of EU animal welfare legislation on that basis—includes more than 190,000 valid responses from 159 countries, with a majority participation from citizens and a strong concentration of responses from Germany.
Beyond the phase-out of cages, the consultation highlights widespread criticism of current legislation: 89% of respondents believe it does not allow animals to express natural behaviours. Issues are also raised regarding the coexistence of EU, national and private standards, as well as differences in their implementation across Member States.
In the case of cage elimination, the main barriers identified to moving towards alternative systems are high investment costs (55%), limited consumer willingness to pay higher prices (50%), and constraints related to space and infrastructure (43%).
Another aspect with strong consensus is the need to require equivalent animal welfare standards for imports from third countries, supported by 96% of participants.
The report also highlights support for the use of animal welfare indicators to improve enforcement, as well as the demand for clearer, harmonised and more operational rules. These conclusions will serve as a basis for future legislative proposals by the European Commission, in a context where balancing animal welfare, competitiveness and the economic viability of the pig sector will be key.
February 27, 2026 / European Commission / European Union.
https://ec.europa.eu
