A leak of the EU Commission's work program for 2026 had already raised fears that the long-announced and overdue reform of EU animal welfare legislation would be missing from it (see press release of October 17). Commenting on the work program officially presented yesterday by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Federation, said:
"It is disappointing and worrying that the EU Commission's new work program does not include either the announced revision of EU animal welfare legislation or the urgently needed reform of the REACH chemicals regulation. The Commission has repeatedly committed to these projects both verbally and in writing, and the ongoing consultations and impact assessments show that the work is already well advanced. EU animal welfare legislation must not be postponed again. Animals in agriculture and in experiments finally need better protection. This also applies to domestic and wild animals in human care.
We call on the EU Commission to keep its promises and present the draft for the new animal welfare legislation before the end of this legislative period. We also expect the Commission to take its responsibility seriously in the revision of REACH and the announced regulations on fur farms, and not to continue to put animal welfare in Europe on the back burner."
