Press release

Published: 17 September 2024

The association Doctors Against Animal Experiments calls it a milestone

The long-standing demand from numerous animal welfare organizations for a dedicated EU Commission for animal welfare has come true today. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced today that a new Commission for Health and Animal Welfare will be set up. The German association Doctors Against Animal Experiments calls it a milestone in EU policy.

The work of the new Commissioner responsible for Animal Welfare will greatly interlink with that of other Commissioners, especially the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food. It will also include working closely with the Commissioners responsible for Fisheries, Trade and Environment, among others, to ensure ambitious EU legislation that ensures high animal welfare standards in all relevant areas. Hungarian Olivér Várhelyi has been nominated for this important position, though the European Parliament must still approve the nomination in the coming weeks.

“We are delighted that the current EU Commission has finally listened to the demands of citizens who have been calling for better EU legislation to protect animals for decades,” said Dr. med. vet. Corina Gericke, Vice Chair of Doctors Against Animal Experiments.

The long-running campaign “EU for Animals,” supported by numerous animal welfare organizations from across Europe with over 300,000 collected signatures, has finally achieved success. Animal rights activists expect the new Commissioner to make a decisive contribution to revising the outdated EU animal welfare regulations. However, it remains unclear whether animal experimentation will also fall within the new commissioner’s tasks.

“The establishment of a dedicated Commission for Animal Welfare will ensure that animal welfare is given the priority it deserves, a priority that is long overdue,” said Gericke.