International level
Animal Protection in Europe
A growing number of laws and regulations applicable in Luxembourg are enacted or initiated at the European Union level. Animal protection is no exception in this regard. The European Parliament is the only institution of the European Union that is elected by direct suffrage. It is the voice and advocate of 500 million EU citizens from 28 different countries.
The Influence of the European Parliament
The European Parliament can exert a decisive influence on the development of a wide range of regulations, such as those concerning animal testing—including, in particular, the Animal Testing Directive, the Cosmetics Directives, and chemicals policy.
When it comes to animal welfare regulations under agricultural policy, the Parliament issues only recommendations. However, Members of the European Parliament can also informally influence the decisions of the Council of Ministers through discussions or petitions. In this way, the Parliament played a decisive role in the abolition of export subsidies for slaughter animals. In addition, the Parliament has repeatedly spoken out against battery cages for laying hens, the cloning of animals for food production, and bullfighting.
The Treaty of Lisbon
On December 1, 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force. With a view to regulating animal protection, governments agreed to incorporate the “Amsterdam Protocol” on the protection and welfare of animals into the treaty as a separate article. While the inclusion of animal protection in the Treaty of Lisbon is certainly to be welcomed, the wording chosen also means that, in the future, animal protection will not constitute a genuine objective of the Union, nor will it be the subject of a fully-fledged policy within the European Union that treats animal protection as an end in itself.
Eurogroup for Animals and the Intergroup on Animal Welfare and Conservation (Intergroup for Animal Welfare and Conservation of Animals)
In this context, the Eurogroup for Animals also makes a significant contribution. As early as 1980, Europe’s leading animal welfare organizations—including, notably, the German association Deutscher Tierschutzbund—joined forces to form the Eurogroup, which is headquartered in Brussels, not far from the European institutions. Currently, the EfA has 54 members from 24 EU countries, the United States, Australia, Serbia, and Norway.
Eurogroup for Animals
The Luxembourg League for the Protection of Animals is a founding member of the Eurogroup for Animals (EfA). In 1980, we established this European federation together with the leading animal protection organizations from neighboring European countries. Currently, EfA brings together 54 member organizations from 24 EU countries, the U.S., Australia, Serbia, and Norway. The Luxembourg League for the Protection of Animals is represented by Mr. Luss Bildgen, the league’s long-standing president. The substantive basis for EfA’s positions and demands is developed in a large number of specific working groups, in which we actively participate.
Objective
Close cooperation among different countries means that today, an increasing number of important decisions are made at the European Union level. National legislation is thus largely based on decisions made at the European level. Many animal welfare issues—such as the trafficking of puppies or exotic animals, or the transport of animals across multiple countries—are European problems that require joint action. Our goal, therefore, is to see binding legislation put in place to ensure optimal animal protection throughout Europe.
Political Activity
The Eurogroup for Animals coordinates contacts between national animal welfare organizations and the institutions of the European Union. It reviews and evaluates projects and processes related to animal welfare at the EU level and engages in dialogue through face-to-face meetings with the relevant EU Directorates-General (Health and Food Safety, Agriculture, Environment, Industry, Education, and Water). It advises the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, and the European Parliament on animal protection issues, proposing options for action. As part of these activities, the EfA also presents our requests.
Through the “Animal Protection” intergroup of Members of the European Parliament, the EfA regularly succeeds in having resolutions on animal protection proposed in the European Parliament, as was recently the case regarding the identification and registration of dogs and cats, the abolition of exemptions to the ban on the trade in seal products, and the ban on subsidies for bullfighting.
Campaigns
In addition to its political activities, the Eurogroup for Animals organizes campaigns at the EU level to raise public awareness of existing issues.
Petitions
In the future, you will find links on these pages to current international petitions from the Eurogroup for Animals.
Eurogroup for Animals website: eurogroupforanimals.org(opens in new tab)
The Intergroup on Animal Welfare and Conservation (Intergroup for Animal Welfare and Conservation of Animals)
As a tool for exerting targeted influence on the European Parliament, the Intergroup on Animal Welfare and Protection is a parliamentary working group that regularly brings together Members of the European Parliament from all political parties who are interested in animal protection; its goal is to discuss European issues related to animal protection and to develop proposed solutions. It traces its origins to a 1993 initiative by the Eurogroup; since then, the Eurogroup has also organized the working group’s meetings and provided scientific advice to MEPs. The Intergroup is one of the key players behind the resolutions in support of animal protection that are regularly adopted by the European Parliament.
