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European Pet Organization

EPO

The European Pet Organization (EPO) is the voice of the European pet trade associations.

Lobbying Activity

Response to Supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on non-commercial movement of pet animals

4 Dec 2025

We, the European Pet Organization (EPO) as the voice of the pet sector at European level, thank the European Commission (EC) for providing the opportunity for stakeholder responses to the draft delegated regulation Ares (2025) 9547903 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as regards animal health requirements for non-commercial movement of pet animals
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Meeting with Maria Noichl (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

25 Mar 2025 · Animal Transport and Pets

Response to Updating the list of invasive species threatening biodiversity and ecosystem services across the EU

20 Mar 2025

The European Pet Organisation (EPO) as the voice of the pet sector at EU level would like to share its response to this public consultation and more particularly its arguments to oppose the listing proposal for the following species of concern: Acridotheres cristatellus (Crested myna) Cherax destructor (Common yabby) Cipangopaludina chinensis (Chinese mystery snail) Marisa cornuarietis (Colombian Giant Ramshorn snail) Lampropeltis getula (Common kingsnake) EPO response is endorsed by Ornamental Fish International (OFI), the Netherlands - the peak international trade association representing the ornamental fish industry since its inception in 1980
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Meeting with Andrea Gavinelli (Head of Unit Health and Food Safety)

10 Mar 2025 · Exchange of views on the Commission’s priorities during this mandate in the field of animal welfare and on the Commission’s proposal on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability

Meeting with Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur for opinion)

30 Jan 2025 · Cats and Dogs regulation

Meeting with Gheorghe Cârciu (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Jan 2025 · Proposal for new rules on the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats

Meeting with André Rodrigues (Member of the European Parliament)

16 Jan 2025 · Presentation of the organization and activities

Meeting with Cristina Guarda (Member of the European Parliament)

16 Jan 2025 · Animal Welfare

Meeting with Katarína Roth Neveďalová (Member of the European Parliament)

14 Jan 2025 · Welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability

Meeting with Maria Noichl (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

14 Jan 2025 · animal welfare

Meeting with Manuela Ripa (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur for opinion)

13 Jan 2025 · Welfare of Cats and Dogs

Meeting with Michal Wiezik (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

3 Dec 2024 · Pet trade

Meeting with António Tânger Corrêa (Member of the European Parliament)

2 Dec 2024 · Introductory Meeting

Meeting with Sunčana Glavak (Member of the European Parliament)

18 Nov 2024 · Importance of responsible pet keeping and a responsible pet trade, regulated through responsible & sensible legislation

Response to Endangered animal and plant species – suspension of imports from specific countries

24 Sept 2024

The European Pet Organization (EPO) as the voice of the European pet trade associations- thanks the European Commission for providing the opportunity to feedback on the Draft implementing regulation Ares (2024)6381088, which sets out that the prohibition of the introduction into the Union is no longer required for the species of the following species based on recommendations made by the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora at its 77th meeting and in addition conclusions from the Scientific Review Group for the species and range states . As a sector, we reiterate our ongoing and continued support to provide information so that decisions such as this end the current prohibition as per the Draft implementing Regulation continue to be based on robust scientific evidence-based decisions with input from the legal and legitimate trade which our organization represents. We also reiterate our continued commitment that EPO and its members will continue to work closely with enforcement authorities to identify and tackle illegal and illicit activity. EPO response is endorsed by Ornamental Fish International (OFI) - the peak international trade association representing the ornamental fish industry since its inception in 1980.
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Response to Protection of animals during transport

9 Apr 2024

The European Pet Organization (EPO) would like to thank the European Commission for affording stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback on the updated rules on the protection of animals during transport presented this past December. EPO as the voice of the European pet trade associations would like to acknowledge the importance of such a proposal for the welfare of live animals, including pets with the introduction of new rules for dogs and cats, being transported within the European Union. Animal welfare has always been at the heart of EPO and its members activities as promoted within the EPO charter. More particularly today within this opened consultation period, EPO as the voice of the European pet trade associations would like to comment on this draft delegated regulation presenting updated rules on live animal transport, including new rules for dogs and cats .... As stated within our feedback submitted today, EPO welcomes the proposal aiming to update the EU rules on live animal transport while setting at its core animal welfare based upon the latest scientific evidence. As a sector, EPO remains available to share its sectors expertise and experience with the EU authorities while refining and finalizing this proposals content, notably when discussion covering the handling of species beyond farm ones are organized. We truly believe that the contribution of all concerned stakeholders is key to ensure that the most advanced and realistic text is being adopted, while guaranteeing its buy-in and support by all concerned stakeholders.
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Response to Welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability

27 Feb 2024

The European Pet Organization (EPO) would like to thank the European Commission for affording stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback on the new rules covering the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats as presented this past December. EPO as the voice of the European pet trade associations would like to acknowledge the importance of such a proposal, for both the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats. As a sector, EPO can only support its content which reflects most of EPO and its members priorities and activities as set within its own organization charter: setting as its core the welfare and health of companion animals, empowering the essential role of responsible, educated, and trained pet industry operators (i.e. retailers) while transferring pet ownership, but also while emphasizing on the importance of responsible pet ownership. All of these are at the base for ensuring that pet retailers are the right industry operators to sell dogs and cats, while accompanying the potential dogs and cats owner into its journey of pet owner. EPO would like to thank the European Commission for this special acknowledgement made into this proposal. EPO would also like to thank the European Commission for introducing within this proposal a response to stop illegal trade of dogs and cats with a mandatory chipping, registration, and identifications of the traded and kept species. System which is essential not only to safeguard the welfare and health of the traded and kept species, but also empowering the important role of the legitimate and responsible industry operators. Considering these, EPO and its members will be pleased to assist the EU authorities while refining the proposal, but more importantly contribute by sharing its sectors experience and experience to the development of the delegated and implemented acts scheduled for these coming five years. Finally, this proposal also opens a more general question about the competence on Animal Welfare, which has been until now a Member State one.
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Response to Laying down certain animal health specific official controls

21 Dec 2021

EPO and OFI thank the European Commission for affording stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback as per the draft Delegated Act (DA) consultation. EPO – representing the European pet industry- and OFI- representing the global ornamental fish industry - would like to comment on this draft delegated regulation presenting updated rules in regard to official control of approved establishments of live animals. More particularly, both EPO and OFI would like to acknowledge the EU authorities for granting aquatic animal health professionals the authorization to run official control of approved facilities of live animals as referred to in Article 1, paragraph (2), point (d), of Reg. (EU) 2017/625 and laid down in and pursuant to Reg. (EU) 2016/429.
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Response to Preventing illegal trade in wildlife

28 Oct 2021

The European Pet Organization (EPO) – representing the voice of the pet sector in Europe- and Ornamental Fish International (OFI) – representing the global aquatic ornamental sector- would like first to thank the European Commission for providing the opportunity to share their respective feedback on the published roadmap for the revision of the EU Action Plan Against Wildlife Trafficking.
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Response to Wildlife trafficking - EU action plan (evaluation)

16 Mar 2020

The European Pet Organization (EPO) – representing the voice of the pet sector in Europe- and Ornamental Fish International (OFI) – representing the global ornamental sector- would like first to thank the European Commission for providing the opportunity to share their respective feedback on the EU Action Plan Against Wilidlife Trafficking. Both EPO and OFI have been pleased to reinforce their collaboration with the EU authorities as well as with the other stakeholders involved with the implementation of the EU Action Plan Against Wildlife Trafficking...
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Response to Rules for establishments keeping terrestrial animals and hatcheries and their traceability

21 May 2019

We, the European Pet Organization (EPO) – representing the voice of the pet sector in Europe- is responding to this opened feedback mechanism asking the European Commission (EC) to consider a derogation of the scope of the presented draft delegated act currently covering the parrot species (i.e. Psittacidae species) – birds bred, kept and traded as companion animals- and this based upon the key elements presented in the enclosed document.
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Response to Update of the list of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern

10 Apr 2019

We, the European Pet Organization (EPO), with the endorsement of Ornamental Fish International (OFI), are writing to oppose the Commission’s intention to list the Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), Senegal Tea Plant (Gymnocoronis spilanthoides), Giant Salvinia (Salvinia molesta), Striped Eel Catfish (Plotosus lineatus), and the Common myna (Acridotheres tristis) as invasive alien species at the Union wide level. For the reasons that we outline below, we consider that a Union wide trade ban on these species is a disproportionate response and does not fully meet the criteria as set under Article 4 (3) of the Regulation (sections d and e). We must also question as to why the Commission are not considering alternative solutions pursuant to Articles 12/11 of the Regulation, as are being considered for the American mink (Neovision vision), given that a Union wide ban will represent a disproportionate burden, particularly to the ornamental aquatic plant sector. In addition, we consider that any such Union wide trade bans will be more trade restrictive than is necessary to meet the appropriate level of protection. Where evidence exists that such species have a restricted distribution, and as previously submitted to the European Commission by the EPO, the proportionate response is regional listing (based on the provisions of Articles 12/11 of the Regulation) and to this end we have previously submitted a trade model for the controlled trade of these species. We therefore express our extreme disappointment that our previous warnings on perverse outcomes are steadfastly being unheeded, as is our representation that Union wide trade bans will result in a disproportionate burden to our industry.
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Response to Commission Delegated Regulation on the methodology for risk assessments of invasive alien species

22 Dec 2017

ENCLOSED THE RESPONSE FROM THE EUROPEAN PET ORGANIZATION (EPO, THE NETHERLANDS), in response to Ref: Ares (2017) 5777844 – Draft Delegated Regulation – Supplementary Regulation (EU) No. 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to risk assessments in relation to invasive alien species.
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