Publications

Revision of legislation on animal welfare on farms.
Important change:

gradual phasing out of the use of cages for certain types of animals (laying hens, pigs, calves, rabbits, ducks, geese, quails, etc.).
There are plans to tighten requirements for imported products so that animal welfare standards comply with European values and international rules.
The document is currently being discussed and comments are being collected. The new rules are expected to be published gradually by sector from 2026.
Key options under consideration:
• Abolition of cages: Establishment of transition periods for the gradual abolition of cages and technical requirements for cage-free systems. Potential sectors: laying hens, pigs, calves, broiler chickens, replacement young stock, rabbits, ducks, geese, quails.
• Indicators and digitalisation: Determining which animal welfare indicators to use and how to measure them. Exploring opportunities to integrate digital tools for effective, transparent monitoring and reduced administrative burden. Sectors: poultry, pigs, cattle, rabbits.
• Import requirements: Determining whether and to what extent equivalent animal welfare standards should apply to imported animals and animal products. This applies to both existing and new requirements in the legislative proposal. Sectors: poultry, pigs, calves, rabbits.

• Slaughter of day-old chicks: Consideration of the gradual phasing out of this practice in the egg production sector, establishment of transition periods and possible exceptions.
Why is this important?
• Harmonisation of animal welfare standards will contribute to food safety, increased consumer confidence and the development of a sustainable agricultural sector.
• Monitoring changes in the EU is critical for Ukraine, as the harmonisation of Ukrainian legislation with EU requirements will affect Ukrainian producers and exports in the long term. This is particularly true for the poultry, pig and cattle sectors.
We encourage all interested parties to join in developing a response to the European Commission's new initiative, ‘On-farm animal welfare for certain animals: modernisation of EU legislation.’