ENDING THE CAGE AGE

END THE CAGE AGE: MAKING IT HAPPEN

Imagine more animals living without brutal confinement, free to move, free to live a life worth living. Well, you are making this happen.

The signature collection phase of our European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) to End the Cage Age closed last September. The petition was a record-breaker for animal welfare, with 1.6 million statements of support.

Like you, everyone who signed the ECI believes that over 300 million caged farm animals across Europe

deserve better. So, too, do over 170 organisations who’ve backed the petition and spread the word: the biggest network ever for animal welfare. And the momentum continues to build…

HERE’S JUST SOME OF WHAT COMPASSION AND OUR NETWORK PARTNERS (ALL 170+ OF THEM!) HAVE BEEN UP TO ON BEHALF OF ANIMALS:

Netherlands hand in 163,192 signatures

MAKING EVERY SIGNATURE COUNT

Czechia hand in 56,401 signatures SECURING OFFICIAL

APPROVAL With the signatures prepared, we then submitted them to the

France hand in 106,062 signatures

GETTING YOUR MESSAGE TO THE TOP Whilst we prepare to formally

Poland hand in 70,556 signatures

LOBBYING PRESSURE STEPPED-UP Meanwhile, we’re lobbying

Europe’s scientists and retailers. And, in November, authorities in all 28 EU Member hand-in the validated Compassion’s Olga Kikou After the ECI closed, Compassion’s States. It is their job to ‘validate’ signatures, we’re also keeping made the case against teams across Europe, alongside the petition, checking that real up the pressure on Member cages to Europe’s Chief other NGOs, began sorting, boxing people have signed, and that they States, though open letters Veterinary Officers. We’ve and preparing signatures for aren’t being counted twice. Each and local campaigns. The more also commissioned a report submission. This was no mean Member State then confirms the countries who back the spirit into the economics of feat – and it was vital to get right, number of signatures they have of the ECI, through their own banning caged farming – to because an ECI is not a normal verified – and we look forward policies or at EU level, the fight any suggestion that petition, it’s more like a voter to revealing the final total figure bigger the chance of securing a the EU can’t afford to End referendum. later this year. pan-European cage-free future. the Cage Age.

UK ECI signatures were submitted early due to Brexit, and a whopping 54,144 were validated!

Thank you to everyone who signed.

WHAT’S NEXT TO END THE CAGE AGE?

Due to COVID-19, Compassion has adjusted our plans for the next few months – but we’re certainly not stepping back.

“With industrial farming’s links to pandemics, our work is more vital than ever,” says Global Senior Campaigns Manager, Mandy Carter. “The permanent housing of animals indoors increases the risk of diseases emerging and spreading rapidly.

“End the Cage Age is truly the biggest political push in the history of farmed animal welfare, and now we must continue our work to ensure our ask becomes reality.”

We plan to hand in ECI signatures later this year, triggering a formal response from the European Commission and a debate at the EU Parliament. Watch this space for the next steps in your groundbreaking campaign to End the Cage Age.

YOUR CAMPAIGN FILM IS A WINNER!

A HUGE thank you to everyone who voted for End the Cage Age in this year’s Charity Film Awards. With 110,000 votes, ‘Dear Humans’ stormed to victory in the People’s Choice Award!

The film features a host of chatty animals – plus Joanna Lumley, Deborah Meaden and other fantastic farm animal champions. Check it out at ciwf.org.uk/Dear-Humans

LATEST PROGRESS ACROSS EUROPE

Committee Opinion against cages - The European Committee of the Regions has publicly supported the phasing out of cage farming. This is fantastic news for our campaign, as the EU Commission will consult with this Committee on a potential ban.

Morrisons go free range In the UK, Morrisons supermarkets have smashed (!) their 2022 target to stop selling whole eggs from caged hens. They are now all free-range! See page 5 for more details.

A win in Slovakia In February the Slovak Government and trade bodies signed a memorandum committing to end all caging of hens by 2030. A momentous victory for people power!

Positive news for Italian sows CIWF Italia have secured a commitment from the Health Ministry to discuss phasing out sow stalls and farrowing crates.

… and for British pigs! In March, the signatures of over 100,000 compassionate people triggered a UK parliamentary debate – and the Government said it was their ambition “that farrowing crates should no longer be used for sows”. See page 14 for more information about this debate.