BETA


2021/2633(RSP) Resolution on the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘End the cage age’

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead AGRI LINS Norbert (icon: EPP EPP) DE CASTRO Paolo (icon: S&D S&D), DECERLE Jérémy (icon: Renew Renew), GUERREIRO Francisco (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), JURGIEL Krzysztof (icon: ECR ECR), HAZEKAMP Anja (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 132-p2, RoP 222-p8

Events

2021/11/03
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2021/06/10
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2021/06/10
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2021/06/10
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 558 votes to 37, with 85 abstentions, a resolution on the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘End the cage age’.

The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) ‘End the Cage Age’ - which received 1.4 million validated signatures from all the then EU-28 Member States - is the first valid ECI for farmed animals. The proposed ECI refers to the hundreds of millions of farmed animals in the EU that are kept in cages for most of their lives. It aims to improve animal welfare.

Given the importance of the ECI but also the lack of action and follow-up to successful ECIs so far, Parliament called on the Commission to ensure the proper transposition of the demands of the ‘End the Cage Age’ ECI into the current revision of Directive 98/58/EC on the protection of animals used in agriculture, in line with the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy.

Phasing-out cage farming

The resolution noted that the market for free-range and organic animal products is growing in the EU and that alternatives to cage farming are being successfully implemented in a number of Member States. Alternative systems should therefore be developed, improved and promoted.

In particular, the Commission is invited to:

- develop a more comprehensive food policy , in order to support the transition to a more sustainable food system and to avoid, in particular for small and medium-sized farms, further reductions in animal production and its further concentration;

- propose a revision of Council Directive 98/58/EC which aims to phase out the use of cages on EU farms, possibly with a view to complete phasing out by 2027; this phasing out should be based on a scientifically supported impact assessment and provide for a sufficient transition period;

- remove bureaucratic and regulatory burdens to allow farmers to make the necessary structural changes to their facilities to incorporate the new animal welfare provisions;

- adopt a species-by-species approach, taking into account the characteristics of each animal, which should have a farming system adapted to its specific needs;

- propose specific EU legislation on minimum standards of protection for farmed rabbits and put forward proposals to ban the cruel and unnecessary force-feeding of ducks and geese for foie gras production;

- support farmers in their efforts to improve animal welfare, in particular in the framework of the European Green Deal and the strategic plans under the CAP, in order to avoid a loss of competitiveness and a subsequent relocation of EU production to third countries with less ambitious animal welfare standards.

Fair trade policy

Parliament reiterated the importance of including enforceable trade and sustainable development chapters in all EU trade agreements . Such chapters should also take account of equivalent production standards, including animal welfare. Members called for all animal products imported into the EU to be produced in full compliance with the relevant EU legislation, including the use of cage-free systems.

The Commission is called upon to: (i) step up its efforts to control imported food products; (ii) reassess trade agreements with third countries to ensure that the same animal welfare and product quality standards are met; and (iii) promote animal welfare at international level.

Informing consumers

Members considered that the Commission must help farmers to educate consumers and communicate the high animal welfare standards currently in force.

In order to adapt to changing legislation as well as consumer preferences, the livestock sector should be rewarded for its efforts with direct aid. Members consider that a voluntary animal welfare label would demonstrate the food chain's commitment, from farm to fork, to contributing to the aims of the ECI ‘End the cage age’, while ensuring adequate pricing.

Documents
2021/06/10
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2021/06/07
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2021/06/07
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2021/05/06
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2021/04/29
   EP - LINS Norbert (EPP) appointed as rapporteur in AGRI

Documents

Activities

Votes

Initiative citoyenne européenne «End the Cage Age» (Pour une nouvelle ère sans cage) - European Citizens' Initiative "End the cage age" - Europäische Bürgerinitiative mit dem Titel „End the Cage Age“ - B9-0296/2021 - Am 9 #

2021/06/10 Outcome: +: 324, -: 324, 0: 38
FR DE IT PT BE ES MT CY SK FI DK NL AT EL LV IE LT SI LU SE HR EE HU BG CZ RO PL
Total
77
94
73
21
20
59
6
6
14
13
14
26
19
21
7
13
10
8
6
20
12
7
20
17
20
33
50
icon: S&D S&D
142

Belgium S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Finland S&D

1

Greece S&D

2

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2

Lithuania S&D

2

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2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Czechia S&D

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1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
71

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

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3

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1

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B9-0296/2021 - Am 10 #

2021/06/10 Outcome: -: 467, +: 189, 0: 30
DE IE FI DK BE SI CY CZ EL LU AT LV LT MT EE SK SE HU HR PT NL BG FR PL RO ES IT
Total
94
13
13
14
20
8
6
20
21
6
19
7
10
6
7
14
20
20
12
21
26
17
77
50
33
59
73
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
71

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

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3

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3

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3

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1

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3

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1

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3

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1

Spain Verts/ALE

3
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39

Ireland The Left

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4

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96

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2

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2

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3

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142

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B9-0296/2021 - Am 11 #

2021/06/10 Outcome: -: 463, +: 170, 0: 51
AT DE IE FI SI CY EL LU LV LT MT SK DK EE SE HR BE CZ PT HU BG NL IT FR PL RO ES
Total
19
94
13
13
8
6
21
6
7
10
6
14
14
7
20
12
20
20
21
20
17
26
73
75
50
33
59
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
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3

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1

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2

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1

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3

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3
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3

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2

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142

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4

B9-0296/2021 - Am 26 #

2021/06/10 Outcome: -: 481, +: 190, 0: 13
DE FI EL IE LV LU SE CY AT DK LT BE SI HU SK MT EE HR PT CZ BG FR NL RO PL ES IT
Total
94
13
21
13
7
6
20
6
19
14
10
20
8
20
14
6
7
12
21
20
17
75
26
33
50
59
73
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
71

Finland Verts/ALE

3

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2

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1

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1

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

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3

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2

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1

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3

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1

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2

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3

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1

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3
icon: The Left The Left
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Finland The Left

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1

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1

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2

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1

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4

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1

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2

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2

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icon: ECR ECR
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1

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2
3

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68

Finland ID

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icon: Renew Renew
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icon: PPE PPE
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B9-0296/2021 - Am 27 #

2021/06/10 Outcome: -: 334, +: 228, 0: 124
SE DE AT FR BE IE FI PT CY CZ EL NL SI MT SK DK LU LV LT HU EE HR BG ES IT PL RO
Total
20
94
19
77
20
13
13
21
6
20
21
26
8
6
14
14
6
7
10
20
7
12
17
59
73
50
33
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
71

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

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3

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1

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2

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3

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2

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1

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3

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1
icon: S&D S&D
142

Belgium S&D

2

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1

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1
icon: NI NI
37

Germany NI

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3

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2

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1

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2
icon: ID ID
70
3

Finland ID

2

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2

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1

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1

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1
icon: ECR ECR
60

Greece ECR

Abstain (1)

1

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4

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1

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2

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1

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1

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2

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1
icon: Renew Renew
96
3

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1

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B9-0296/2021 - Am 28 #

2021/06/10 Outcome: -: 371, +: 262, 0: 50
PT DE MT CY SK DK SE LV AT BE FI IE LT NL SI LU HR CZ EL FR EE HU BG RO IT PL ES
Total
21
94
6
6
14
14
20
7
19
20
13
13
10
26
8
6
12
20
21
76
7
20
17
33
73
50
57
icon: S&D S&D
140

Cyprus S&D

2

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2

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2

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1

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2

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1

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2
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71

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

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2

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3

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1

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2