The EU is reportedly considering dropping its plans for stricter animal welfare measures, according to Compassion in World Farming EU.

The group, based in Brussels, quotes press reports which say there are fears that draft laws on the issue may now be scrapped.

Compassion in World Farming EU said that two years ago, the European Commission “made an unprecedented pledge to end caged farming.”

The group said this was in response to a referendum-like action by 1.4 million citizens.

The citizens’ movement “End the Cage Age” now warns “that if the EU Commission goes ahead with its scandalous decision to drop the draft laws, it will betray the trust of its citizens.”

It adds, “This will undoubtedly come back to haunt them.”

The European Commission has pledged to end the use of cages in animal farming, in response to the campaign supported by 1.4 million Europeans, which Compassion in World Farming initiated and coordinated.

This is said by campaigners to be the first such commitment since the EU introduced this participatory democracy tool over ten years ago.

Comment came from Olga Kikou, Head of Compassion in World Farming EU and substitute representative of the ‘End the Cage Age’ European Citizens’ Initiative.

She said “The existing EU animal welfare laws are absurdly outdated, as the Commission’s own services have concluded during its long legislative review process. The Commission made a very firm commitment in response to our European Citizens’ Initiative. It is one of a kind and gave hope to millions of citizens across the EU. The mere fact that the EU Commission is even considering dropping its plans to update the animal welfare laws shows a scandalous disdain for EU democracy.”

Compassion in World Farming EU says that, i late June, a probe was said to revealed that the factory farming lobby in Brussels has a deep-rooted influence on the EU decision-making process

Compassion in World Farming EU said, “The lobby has bullied campaigners and has fearmongered politicians with faulty economic analyses.”

The group has campaigned for farm animal welfare and sustainable food and farming. With over one million supporters, it has representatives across Europe, as well as in the U.S., China and South Africa.

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