Dyrenes Beskyttelse
Vi hjælper dyr i nød, stopper overgreb mod dyr og kæmper for et respektfuldt og bæredygtigt forhold mellem dyr, mennesker og natur.
ID: 528622339127-47
Lobbying Activity
Response to Modernisation of the EU legislation for on-farm animal welfare for certain animals
15 Jul 2025
Animal Protection Denmark is the oldest and largest animal welfare organization of Denmark: a non-profit association financed mainly by private funds. We engage in animal welfare at national, European and international levels through project collaboration and networking, involving our political, fundraising and communications work. Our vision is to ensure a respectful and sustainable relationship between animals, humans and nature. Animals as sentient beings - capable of knowing fear and feeling pain - should be fully recognized and respected in future legislation as we have a moral and societal responsibility to ensure that treatment of animals is reflecting this in their entire life cycle, i.e. on farm, during transport and at abattoir (cf. the EU treaties). In our opinion this overarching principle is the single most important thing for the Commission to keep in mind in the process of drafting future legislation. This paradigm shift requires a fundamental change of mindset, and the way animals are viewed in general. Ultimately, the improvement of detailed legislation on animal welfare will be a natural and derived consequence. Ethical arguments should be considered as fully legitimate and inseparable from traditional science-based argumentation. Ethics cannot exist unrelated to living beings, in this case between animals and humans. On the other hand, all concrete animal welfare improvements are based on an ethical position. Obviously, animal welfare and ethics are intertwingled. We support The Five Domains-model for drawing up rules that puts the animal and its needs at the center and is based on the current scientific consensus. It truly acknowledges the sentience of farm animals, providing a prominent role to the animals mental state and giving true meaning to the concept of a good life for the animal a life worth living. All farmed species should have dedicated animal welfare provisions as all have species-specific welfare needs. Importantly, a transition to cage-free farming across all relevant species should be advanced.
Read full responseMeeting with Stine Bosse (Member of the European Parliament)
28 Apr 2025 · Animal welfare policy
Meeting with Per Clausen (Member of the European Parliament)
5 Mar 2025 · Animal welfare
Meeting with Rasmus Nordqvist (Member of the European Parliament)
4 Mar 2025 · Dyrebeskyttelse
Meeting with Asger Christensen (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)
3 Mar 2025 · Animal transport
Meeting with Marianne Vind (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Fødevareforbundet NNF
7 Mar 2024 · Animal transport
Meeting with Marianne Vind (Member of the European Parliament)
10 Jan 2024 · Dyrevelfærd
Meeting with Niels Fuglsang (Member of the European Parliament)
18 Sept 2023 · Dyretransporter
Response to 2040 Climate Target Plan
23 Jun 2023
Fødevaresystemet har stor klimamæssig betydning - herunder produktion og forbrug af fødevarer. Den intensive husdyrproduktion og det høje forbrug af animalske fødevarer i den vestlige verden er belastende for klimaet, og i EU står den animalske produktion for 70 % af drivhusgasudledningen fra landbruget (1). EU-kommissionen anerkender behovet for en ændring af fødevaresystemet i Farm-to-Fork-strategien og i den forventede lovgivning Sustainable Food System Framework Law. Derfor er det også vigtigt, at omstillingen af fødevaresystemet adresseres i EUs klimamål 2040 med fastsatte reduktionsmål for udledning af drivhusgasser fra fødevaresystemet. Endvidere skal bæredygtige fødevaremiljøer fremmes for at lette omstillingen af kostvaner til en mere plantebaseret kost og færre-men-bedre-animalske produkter. Fødevaremiljøer defineres i HLPE-rapporten nr. 12 Nutrition and Food Systems som () the physical, economic, political and socio-cultural context in which consumers engage with the food system to make their decisions about acquiring, preparing and consuming food. (2) EUs 2040 klimamål skal bidrage til, at klimavenlige fødevareprodukter bliver budgetvenlige, tilgængelige og det foretrukne valg for forbrugeren. Endvidere skal klimaløsninger tænkes ind i større sammenhænge og gå hånd i hånd med en bæredygtig fødevareproduktion og forbrug. Den intensive og ensidige udnyttelse af jorden med store, monokulturelle marker truer biodiversiteten, og siden 1975 er der sket en betydelig tilbagegang i såvel fuglebestanden som bier, sommerfugle og andre insekter(3). Alene i Danmark udgør landbrugsarealet omkring 60 % af det samlede areal, og knapt 80 % af landbrugsarealet anvendes til at dyrke foder til de mange dyr i landbrugsproduktionen(4). I Danmark er der sket en intensivering af den animalske landbrugsproduktion(5), hvilket bl.a. er medvirkende til, at cirka en tredjedel af malkekøerne kommer på græs(6), selvom EFSA anbefaler, at køer kommer på græs(7). Et andet eksempel er, at ca. 85 % af de æglæggende høner brækker brystbenet i forbindelse med æglægning(8). Det intensive, industrielle landbrug har derfor ikke kun betydning for klima men også for biodiversitet og dyrevelfærd. EUs klimamål 2040 skal bidrage til at nedsætte produktionen af ikke-bæredygtige animalske produkter. En mindre animalsk produktion og - forbrug vil udover at nedsætte udledningen af drivhusgasser fra landbrugsproduktionen bl.a. også bidrage til bedre dyrevelfærd for landbrugsdyr, nedsætte forbruget af antibiotika, nedsætte risikoen for zoonoser og pandemier samt øge fødevaresikkerheden ved at dyrke føde til mennesker fremfor foder til dyr(9)(10). (1) European Commission. (2020). A Farm to Fork strategy for a fair, healthy, and environmentally friendly food system. (2) HLPE. (2017) Nutrition and food systems. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security, Rome. (3) Dyrenes Beskyttelse og Danmarks Naturfredningsforening. (2022). Sådan ligger landet tal om landbruget. (4) Dyrenes Beskyttelse og Danmarks Naturfredningsforening. (2022). Sådan ligger landet tal om landbruget. (5) Danmarks Statistik (2022). Fortsat lille fald i andelen af kvæg. (6) Danmarks Statistik (2021). Næsten halvdelen af Danmarks kvægbestand kommer på græs en del af året. (7) EFSA Journal 2023; 21(5):7993 (8) Thøfner ICN, Dahl J, Christensen JP (2021) Keel bone fractures in Danish laying hens: Prevalence and risk factors. PLoS ONE 16(8): e0256105. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256105 (9) World Federation for Animals (2023). Unveiling the Nexus the interdepence of Animal Welfare, Environment & Sustainable Development. (10) Pörtner, L. M. et al. We need a food system transformation - In the face of the Russia-Ukraine war, now more than ever. One Earth 5, 470472 (2022)
Read full responseMeeting with Niels Fuglsang (Member of the European Parliament)
17 Jun 2023 · Dyrevelfærd
Meeting with Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Member of the European Parliament)
6 Jun 2023 · Environment, animal protection
Meeting with Niels Fuglsang (Member of the European Parliament)
17 May 2023 · Dyrevelfærd
Meeting with Margrete Auken (Member of the European Parliament) and Eurogroup for Animals
9 Mar 2023 · Animal welfare in EU legislation
Meeting with Erik Poulsen (Member of the European Parliament) and Eurogroup for Animals
8 Mar 2023 · Animal welfare related issues
Meeting with Niels Fuglsang (Member of the European Parliament)
7 Mar 2023 · Animal welfare
Meeting with Niels Fuglsang (Member of the European Parliament)
17 Feb 2023 · Animal Welfare
Response to Animal welfare labelling for food
19 Jul 2021
Animal Protection Denmark (APD, in Danish Dyrenes Beskyttelse) has the following remarks:
General remarks
The overall objective of the revision of animal welfare legislation must be to integrate the fundamental fact that animals are individual sentient beings. Therefore, throughout the revision the primary concern must always be the welfare of the animal. Consequently, the revision must lead to real improvements in animal welfare for species currently included in animal welfare regulation but also broaden the scope and protect species that are currently not covered. In addition, enforcement must be improved, and unmet consumer expectations should be addressed.
Overall, there is an urgent need to bring legislation in accordance with current scientific knowledge on animal welfare as this has increased greatly over several years.
APD welcomes the reference to the 5 Domains as a framework to adopt. In general, the approach should be to fit the production to the animals rather than making the animals fit the production with great negative consequences for their welfare.
A ban on cages must be implemented and outdoor access required in accordance with species-specific needs of the animals. Issues such as mutilations, breeding, feeding, killing methods, and transport of live animals must also be addressed.
A holistic approach to sustainability in our food system is needed. Animal welfare must be seen as an integrated part of sustainability, and the CAP and CFP need to reflect this. While intensive factory farming produces large amounts of meat, eggs, milk etc. it also produces great suffering in animals. Therefore, continued funding of these production systems is funding of poor welfare. Climate policies, -funding and research need to address animal welfare in relation to all types of initiatives to reduce climate gasses such as CO2 and methane. Climate improvements in production must not happen at the expense of the animals.
APD welcomes the reference to “One health” but urges the Commission to also pursue a “One welfare” approach.
Specific remarks
Transport:
APD finds that live animal transport should be restricted to an absolute minimum. However, given the current situation, APD supports a) prohibition on export of certain categories of live animals to non-EU countries, b) prohibition on long journeys for un-weaned and/or vulnerable animals and c) restriction of cross-border transports of cats and dogs. We also agree that there is a need for updating requirements for space, transport time, transport conditions and mandatory veterinary inspections. Finally, APD agrees that there is a problematic lack of coordination of controls between authorities in member states involved in cross border transport.
Farm animals:
APD supports the options. The need for species-specific legislation on the welfare of farmed fish should be emphasized. This is urgently needed due to the scale of the production and continued large investments in aquaculture throughout the EU.
Killing:
APD support the options on stunning and equipment and the prohibition of the use of electric prods. The need for research in alternatives to CO2 stunning is urgent and this should be addressed through increased funding.
Labelling:
APD welcomes the option of an EU animal welfare label with key welfare criteria.
As a closing remark, APD supports the submission from Eurogroup for Animals in this hearing.
Read full responseResponse to Review of the EU school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme - EU aid
16 Jul 2021
Animal Protection Denmark (APD, in Danish Dyrenes Beskyttelse) thanks the European Commission for the chance to express our opinion in this evaluation. We welcome the review of the EU school fruit, vegetable and milk scheme in the hope and expectation that it will help promote sustainable food consumption, in line with the Farm to Fork strategy.
The EU school, fruits, vegetables and milk scheme is currently promoting animal products, where more sustainable alternatives exist. According to the Farm to Fork Strategy, 10.3 percent of EU climate gas emissions come from agriculture and of this almost 70 percent is from animal production. In addition, intensive animal production has enormous negative impacts on land use, environment, biodiversity, deforestation, and animal welfare.
It is noted in the Farm to Fork Strategy that current food consumption is not sustainable and the review of the EU school scheme aims at supporting a shift to more sustainable consumption. Replacing dairy with plant-based alternatives can reduce the environmental impact of consumption and at the same time spare many animals of much suffering.
The shift should of course be seen in context with nutrition, but rather than educating children (and their parents) that milk and other dairy is essential – often leading to overuse if not immediately then later in life – the program should apply a broader view on nutrition. For example, children (and their parents) can be educated that it is possible to drink water and have nutritional needs met in other ways than through milk. Although the milk scheme does not directly state that water is not a good source it indirectly supports and maintains the false contention that milk is essential for health and well-being.
In the EU there is a need for a shift from meat and dairy to more vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, fruits and nuts. The EU school scheme must support this important and urgently needed shift. Using the school scheme it will be possible to both make immediate and quantifiable shifts in EU schools, but it will also encourage a more general and long-term shift through education and the chance for children to experience nutritious tasteful plant-based meals, which may not be encountered in many EU homes.
APD would like to see the school scheme become as organically based as possible (both plant and dairy products). Dairy from intensive farming systems must be completely excluded from the program. Organic dairy could be included to help reach the target of at least 25% of the EU’s agricultural land under organic farming by 2030 (Farm to Fork Strategy), but it is important that there is a concurrent shift away from promoting milk/dairy as the only right choice. Hence, educational material should be based on scientific facts and not contain or resemble marketing.
Read full response6 Apr 2021
I Dyrenes Beskyttelse / Animal Protection Denmark er vi meget enige i Europa-Kommissionens målsætning fra Jord-til-Bord-strategien om, at vi skal opbygge et sundt fødevaremiljø, som gør sund og bæredygtig mad til det nemme valg, og at dette opnås ved at sikre en sundere og mere plantebaseret kost end i dag.
Det nærværende forslag om Authorisation to feed non-ruminants with ruminant collagen / gelatine and with proteins from insects, pigs and poultry modarbejder desværre målsætningen om at sikre en sundere mere plantebaseret kost. Forslaget vil - ved at lempe på reglerne for brug af insektfoder til ikke-drøvtyggende dyr – fastholde den nuværende intensive produktion af kød og vil endda forværre problemet, eftersom forslaget vil øge incitamenterne til at opbygge nye fabrikker til produktion af insekter.
Insekter er dyr, som fortjener beskyttelse på lige fod med andre dyr. I Lissabontraktatens artikel 13 fastslås det, at når Unionens politikker inden for landbrug, fiskeri, transport, det indre marked, forskning og teknologisk udvikling samt rummet fastlægges og gennemføres, tager Unionen og medlemsstaterne fuldt hensyn til velfærden hos dyr som følende væsener. Det er ikke veldokumenteret, at velfærden for insekter som følende væsener kan sikres i den nuværende produktionsform. Europa-Kommissionen bør anlægge et forsigtighedsprincip, jf. Lissabontraktatens artikel 13, og så længe der ikke er videnskabelig konsensus om produktionssystemer, som kan producere insekter under hensyn til disses velfærd som følende væsener, bør Europa-Kommissionen afholde sig fra at fremlægge lovgivning, som øger produktionen af insekter.
Det er vigtigt at fastholde en stabil proteinproduktion i EU, men i stedet for at fastholde
den nuværende intensive produktion af kød til menneskelig konsum bør Europa-Kommissionen arbejde på at halvere produktionen af dyr, omlægge den resterende produktion til mere bæredygtige frilandsproduktioner og investere i en udvidelse af proteinrig planteproduktion direkte til menneskelig konsum.
En lempelse af reglerne for afsætning af insekter til foderbrug forbedrer ikke fødevaresystemet i EU, men bidrager i stedet til en fastholdelse af et fødevaresystem, som ikke er bæredygtigt. Europa-Kommissionen bør således ikke lade hensynet til dyrevelfærden vige for at fastholde det eksisterende fødevaresystem.
Dyrenes Beskyttelse / Animal Protection Denmark anbefaler derfor Europa-Kommissionen til at forkaste forslaget om at tillade insektfoder til ikke-drøvtyggende dyr.
Read full response