Anima
Danish animal rights organisation Anima strives to be a voice for all animals and to end animal suffering in animal agriculture, in laboratories, and in the entertainment industry.
ID: 450212791764-83
Lobbying Activity
Response to Follow-up to the European Citizens’ Initiative “Fur Free Europe”
1 Aug 2025
Anima is a Danish animal rights organisation, working for over 20 years to document and address the animal welfare and sustainability issues of the fur industry, both nationally and internationally. This submission contributes evidence regarding the socio-economic impacts of a potential EU-wide ban on fur farming, focusing specifically on the Danish context. In addition to quantitative data from Denmark's transition following the phase-out of mink farming, this document includes qualitative examples from former mink farmers who have successfully established alternative businesses. These case studies demonstrate that socio-economic impacts can be effectively mitigated, and that a declining, low-productivity sector like fur farming can be phased out without harming the broader economy. In the Danish case, the labour force was either absorbed into other sectors or retired, allowing resources to be reallocated more productively. Summary of our main Arguments: Only Scenario 2 - a full ban on fur farming and the placing of farmed fur products on the EU market - offers a meaningful and proportionate response to the European Citizens' Initiative and addresses the systemic problems of the sector. Furthermore, ensuring a level playing field now effectively requires an EU-wide ban, as at least 16 Member States have already decided to prohibit fur farming, either fully or partially. Without harmonisation, a small number of producers benefit unfairly while operating in contradiction to widely accepted animal welfare norms in the EU. Across Europe, repeated on-farm investigations have revealed animals in fur farms suffering from open wounds, untreated injuries, cannibalism, and severe stress behaviour such as stereotypies. These problems are not isolated incidents but are characteristic of the farming system itself, as highlighted by the new EFSA Scientific Opinion. Scenario 3 - which proposes higher standards while allowing fur farming to continue - would fail to resolve the industry's inherent ethical, economic, and environmental issues. Attempts to revive or subsidise fur farming under Scenario 3 would support an economically obsolete industry at the expense of more productive sectors. Additionally, fur production entails high emissions, energy use, land use, and the application of toxic chemicals in the dressing and dyeing stages. Thus, adopting scenario 2 would align with the European Green Deal, Farm to Fork strategy, and Circular Economy Action Plan, by eliminating an unsustainable sector and reducing pollution, resource use, and environmental risk. We urge the Commission to move forward with Scenario 2 and implement a full EU ban on fur farming and the placing of fur products on the European market.
Read full responseResponse to Modernisation of the EU legislation for on-farm animal welfare for certain animals
16 Jul 2025
Anima is a Danish animal advocacy organisation. In the past we focused on ending cage farming for laying hens in the egg industry. Thanks to our work over several years pushing retailers and producers to switch to cage-free farming, the Danish egg industry is now at the forefront of cage-free farming across Europe. Indeed, Denmark has already banned the practice of using cages in egg farms across the country. This is an excellent case study showing that such change is already happening, a ban on cage farming is entirely possible as well as showing that the transition can be made relatively quickly. We strongly push for the Commission to harmonise laws across the EU and ban the use of cages for laying hens and all other species and remind the Commission that 47,336 Danish citizens (thats 486% of the qualifying number needed for Denmark in an ECI) supported the European Citizens initiative to end cage farming across Europe. Our current focus is improving welfare standards for broiler chickens used in the meat industry and pushing for a ban on male-chick killing. In our accompanying document we provide scientific papers demonstrating an alternative to male chick killing is possible - alternative technology already exists, the economics work, and successful models are already proven - making the case that EU-wide mandatory implementation is both feasible and morally necessary. We also provide peer-reviewed papers demonstrating that welfare improvements for broiler chickens are also viable and readily available. The EU should harmonize standards across member states to prevent market fragmentation, ensure fair competition, and meet clear consumer expectations.
Read full response