… as plans may force up food prices
The Telegraph reported earlier this week that the EU may scrap plans for tighter animal welfare and environmental protection because the new rules could drive up food costs.
The European Commission had promised to stop practices such as the killing of day-old chicks, the sale and production of fur, and the use of cages for livestock. The former proposal was understood to add 52% to the price of eggs. According to the Financial Times, Brussels has now dropped the plans together with a law designed to increase green food production across the member states.
One EU official said a scaled-back animal welfare plan would instead be put forward to reflect the rise in food prices that has already been seen since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. The FT understands that the plans may be dropped entirely.
Joe Moran, director of European policy at the animal welfare campaign group Four Paws, said: “Some in the commission are worried about the cost.” The EU executive has carried out an impact assessment into the cost of the new regulations. The report said the rules would increase farmers’ costs by an average of 15%, which “may result in higher consumer prices” and more imports.
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Glad that’s the EU decision and not the UKs.
If the UK had made that decision, it would top the BBC news programmes for at least a week.
Probably because things that happen in this country, unless of course, major disasters elsewhere in the world, etc, are more relevant and affect people in this country more!! If we’d still been members of the EU, I’m sure it would have been more prevalent!
I’m sorry it’s a decision that anyone would come to! A definite retrograde step.
Very disappointed to read this. When so many people are fighting so hard for the rights of animals this cannot be right and is an absolute disgrace. Shame on the EU!
Did anyone actually vote for this or is it legislation drawn up by the European Civil Service without MEPs commenting?