ANIMAL WELFARE LEGISLATION AT EUROPEAN LEVEL
COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND EUROPEAN UNION INSTRUMENTS
EUROPEAN UNION (EU)
General
Transport
Slaughter
Farming
Experiments
Cosmetics
Pets
Fur
Fisheries/Cetaceans
Zoos
- Protocol on protection and welfare of animals, Annexed to the Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts, OJ C 340/01 du 10.11.1997
- Art. III-121, Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, OJ EU. C 310/55 du 16.12.2004
- Art.13, Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, OJ C 306, 17.12.2007:
"In formulating and implementing the Union's agriculture, fisheries, transport, internal market, research and technological development and space policies, the Union and the Member States shall, since animals are sentient beings, pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals, while respecting the legislative or administrative provisions and customs of the Member States relating in particular to religious rites, cultural traditions and regional heritage."
Transport
Slaughter
- Council Directive 74/577/EEC of 18 November 1974 on stunning of animals before slaughter, OJ L 316, 26/11/1974
- Council Directive 93/119/EC of 22 December 1993 on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing, 22/12/1993
- Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 of 24 September 2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing, 18.11.2009
Farming
- Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes, 8.8.1998
- Laying hens: Council Directive 1999/74/EC of 19 July 1999 laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens, 3.8.1999
- Calves: Council Directive 2008/119/EC of 18 December 2008 laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves (Codified version), 15.1.2009
- Pigs: Council Directive 2001/88/EC of 23 October 2001 amending Directive 91/630/EEC laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs, 1.12.2001
- Broilers: Council Directive 2007/43/EC of 28 June 2007 laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production, 12.7.2007
Experiments
- Council Directive of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes (86/609/EEC)
- Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, 20.10.2010
Cosmetics
Pets
Fur
- Leghold traps: Council Regulation (EEC) No 3254/91 of 4 November 1991 prohibiting the use of leghold traps in the Community and the introduction into the Community of pelts and manufactured goods of certain wild animal species originating in countries which catch them by means of leghold traps or trapping methods which do not meet international humane trapping standards, 09.11.1991
- Seal pups: Council Directive 83/129/EEC of 28 March 1983 concerning the importation into Member States of skins of certain seal pups and products derived therefrom, 09/04/1983
- Seals: Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 September 2009 on trade in seal products, 31.10.2009
- Regulation (EU) 2015/1775 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 October 2015 amending Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009 on trade in seal products and repealing Commission Regulation (EU) No 737/2010
- Cats and dogs: Regulation (EC) No 1523/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2007 banning the placing on the market and the import to, or export from, the Community of cat and dog fur, and products containing such fur (Text with EEA relevance), 27.12.2007
Fisheries/Cetaceans
Zoos