End the Cage Age
History was made on 10 June 2021 when the European Parliament voted on the End the Cage Age citizens' initiative. The initiative aims to ban the caging of animals in agriculture and ,if approved, will mark a monumental change for the welfare of 300 million animals in Europe annually.
What has happened?
September 2018 – Start of the citizens' initiative
On September 25th, the End the Cage Age citizens' initiative was launched, uniting over 140 organisations from various EU countries in advocating for the elimination of cages for Europe's farm animals. For the initiative to succeed, at least one million signatures had to be collected.
September 2019 – The petition ends
One year after its launch, the collection of signatures for the petition concluded. Over these 12 months, 1.4 million signatures were gathered, with nearly 50,000 collected by Project 1882 in Sweden.
October 2020 – End the Cage Age initiative submitted to the Commission
On October 2nd, the End the Cage Age citizens' initiative was submitted to the Commission. With 1.4 million signatures from 18 countries, the initiative was at the time the third most successful ever and the first animal-related one to make it all the way to the Commission, which was obligated to take a position on the initiative.
February 2021 – 140 scientists sign an anti-cage petition
On February 23, Jane Goodall and 140 scientists wrote an open letter to the Commission, urging their support for the End the Cage Age initiative. The scientists collectively asserted that life in cages causes tremendous suffering upon animals.
April 2021 – Hearing in the European Parliament
On April 15th, a hearing was scheduled to take place in the European Parliament, jointly organised with the initiative's organisers. This hearing afforded the organisers with the opportunity to present the initiative and engage in discussions on the issue with the Commissioner responsible and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Bo Algers, a veterinarian and professor emeritus from Sweden, was among the speakers at the hearing.
May 2021 – EU Agriculture Committee endorses the initiative
On May 21st, the EU Agriculture Committee voted in support of the End the Cage Age citizens' initiative. The committee then drafted a resolution advocating for the realisation of the End the Cage Age by urging the Commission to produce a legislative proposal aimed at phasing out and banning cages by 2027. This resolution serves as a robust appeal to the Commission.
June 2021 – Parliament endorses the initiative
On June 10th, the European Parliament voted in favour of the resolution urging the Commission to develop a legislative proposal to ban cages in the EU. A total of 558 embers of the European Parliament (MEPs) supported the resolution and only 37 voted against it. This decisive vote sends a powerful signal to the Commission, emphasising the importance of crafting a robust legislative proposal. Additionally, Parliament calls on the Commission to propose a ban on Foie Gras, the forced feeding of ducks, in conjunction with the End the Cage Age initiative.
June 2021 – Commission announcement
On 30 June 2021, the Commission announces its intent to introduce a legislative proposal in 2023 addressing the End the Cage Age initiative, including a proposal to ban the caging of animals in agriculture. The decision was justified by citing the growing concern for animal welfare and the need for increased action within the EU. The Commissioner responsible emphasised that the objective is now crystal clear: the cages must be eliminated.
What happens next?
End the Cage Age has been integrated and discussed within the ongoing review of EU animal welfare legislation. While an impact assessment endorsed the proposal, the betrayal was confirmed in October 2023 when the Commission chose not to present three-quarters of the new animal welfare legislation, including the phase-out of cages.
The timeline for the presentation of proposals aligned with End the Cage Age remains uncertain. Nevertheless, once the Commission presents these proposals, they will undergo negotiations between the Council of Ministers and the Parliament. There is optimism that the Commission's proposals will navigate through the process without compromise. Given the Parliament's favourable stance on the issue of phasing out cages, attention will be directed towards the Council of Ministers.
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