European Union

Summary: This study aims to give an overview of the legal framework that applies to animal welfare in the EU and a group of non-EU countries. It focuses specifcally on beef cattle, pigs, broilers (the chickens reared for meat) and egg-laying hens while they are on the farm, in transit and at slaughter. Animal welfare standards of four international organizations, as well as a number of private standards established by major food businesses and animal welfare organizations are also analyzed.

Summary: Directive 2010/63/EU revises Directive 86/609/EEC on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. It aims to replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research procedures by using alternative approaches. The directive applies to live non-human vertebrate animals, including independently feeding larval forms and foetal forms of mammals in the last trimester, and live cephalopods. The directive also applies to animals used in procedures, which are at an earlier stage of development than that referred to above, if the animal is to be allowed to live beyond that stage of development and, as a result of the procedures performed, is likely to experience pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm after it has reached that stage of development. It also sets out provisions for risk-based inspections and lays down minimum care standards.

Summary: This Directive establishes minimum standards for the protection of laying hens, particularly in respect to the equipment, drinking and feeding conditions, and facilities where the hens are kept. It does not apply to establishments with fewer than 350 laying hens, nor to establishments rearing breeding laying hens. It only applies to hens of the species Gallus gallus which have reached laying maturity and are kept for production of eggs not intended for hatching.

Summary: The aim pursued by this Directive is to ensure the provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative provisions in the Member States for the protection of animals used for research avoid affecting the market. In this directive, an experiment not entailing the use of animals is preferred over one that does if that experiment can obtain the same result and is reasonably and practically available. Furthermore, each Member State shall ensure that experiments using animals considered as endangered under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora and Annex C.I of Regulation (EEC) No. 3626/82 are prohibited unless they are in conformity with the above-mentioned Regulation and the objects of the experiment are research aimed at preservation of the species in question, or essential biomedical purposes where the species in question exceptionally proves to be the only one suitable for those purposes.

Summary: This directive was adopted to eliminate technical barriers to trade in live animals and to allow the market organizations in question to operate smoothly, while ensuring a satisfactory level of protection for the animals concerned. This directive amends Directives 90/425/EEC and 91/496/EEC (91/628/EEC)

Summary: This Directive lays down minimum standards for the protection of animals bred or kept for farming purposes.

Summary: This European Union regulation amends No 1907/90 of the marketing standards for eggs by making it compulsory to indicate the farming method on eggs.