The European Commission includes plans to phase out cages and end the killing of male chicks in its Livestock Strategy
The European Commission’s new roadmap for the livestock sector,
it includes plans to phase-out cages for hens and chickens, crates for mother pigs, and the killing of male chicks. Animal Equality welcomes the announcement but stresses that real progress will only come if these commitments are turned into ambitious laws without further delay.
Years after committing to revise the European Union’s animal welfare legislation, the European Commission has unveiled its long-awaited Livestock Strategy, a political roadmap that places animal welfare back on the EU legislative agenda.
Among the key commitments is the Commission’s intention to present, in 2026, a proposal to revise the EU animal welfare rules for laying hens and broiler chickens. The future legislation is expected to include the progressive phase-out of cages, measures to end the systematic killing of male chicks through in-ovo sexing technologies, animal welfare indicators, and equivalent animal welfare requirements for imported products.
The Commission also plans to present, in 2027, a separate proposal on pig welfare, including the transition away from sow crates, as well as additional measures on the transport and export of animals for slaughter, and updated egg labelling to inform consumers about the transition away from male chick killing.
An important step – but legislation must follow
Animal Equality welcomes the fact that, after years of delays, the European Commission has once again publicly committed to advancing these long-awaited reforms.
“Today the European Commission has acknowledged in a strategic policy document that the time has come to move towards ending cages and the systematic of male chicks. This is a positive signal, but now the Commission must deliver. Animals cannot afford another cycle of promises and delays. We expect ambitious, science-based legislation with clear timelines, no unjustified exemptions and meaningful improvements for millions of animals,” said Matteo Cupi, Vice President for Animal Equality in Europe.
However, the organisation stresses that the Livestock Strategy is not legislation. It is a political roadmap, and meaningful improvements for animals will only happen once these commitments are translated into concrete legislative proposals and adopted by the European institutions.
Five years of delays
The publication of the Strategy comes five years after the European Commission pledged to phase out cages in response to the End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative, supported by 1.4 million citizens across Europe.
Since then, the promised legislative proposal has been repeatedly postponed despite overwhelming public, scientific and political support. These delays prompted sustained advocacy by animal protection organisations, including Animal Equality.
Over recent months, Animal Equality has led a series of actions calling on the Commission to honour its commitments, including demonstrations outside the Berlaymont building in Brussels, institutional advocacy, and Europe-wide public campaigns demanding that animal welfare be restored to the EU’s political agenda.
The political debate begins now
The Livestock Strategy will be discussed for the first time by EU Agriculture Ministers at the AGRIFISH Council on 13 July, under the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which has stated that animal welfare in livestock systems will remain central to these discussions.
This discussion will mark the beginning of the political process that should ultimately lead to the presentation of the legislative proposals.
Animal Equality calls for legislation without loopholes
For Animal Equality, the success of the Livestock Strategy will depend entirely on the content of the legislation that follows.
The organisation is calling on the European Commission to ensure that future legislation:
- establishes a clear and binding timeline to phase out cages;
- permanently ends the systematics killing of male chicks;
- avoids derogations and loopholes that could weaken the reforms;
- is firmly grounded in the latest scientific evidence;
- delivers meaningful welfare improvements for millions of animals within a reasonable timeframe.
Help ensure the European Union keeps its promise
Although the inclusion of these commitments in the Livestock Strategy is an important milestone, the future of millions of animals depends on the European Commission turning these political promises into ambitious legislation without further delay.
That is why Animal Equality continues to campaign across Europe, calling on EU leaders to honour their commitments and finally deliver the reforms that citizens have been demanding for years.
You can help. Join us in Brussels this September as we demand EU leaders end cages and the systematic killing of male chicks once and for all.
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