More than 170 Animal Equality activists gathered outside the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) and the Berlaymont building in Brussels today, opening four days of demonstrations timed to the AGRIFISH Council meeting in Luxembourg and the EU Livestock Strategy, due from Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen on 7 July.
The protests coincide with a letter from the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals, chaired by Niels Fuglsang MEP, to Hansen and Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi. Honorary President Tilly Metz MEP wrote: “By 2040, we need to see the full modernisation of the EU animal welfare acquisition. The strategy needs to set a clear timeline on how the Commission will implement its commitment to ban all cages.”
Three core demands
The campaign, backed by the 1.4 million-signature End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative, calls for an EU-wide phase-out of cages starting with laying hens and sows, a ban on male chick culling supported by in-ovo sexing technology, and welfare standards for imports equivalent to those required of EU producers. A 2025 Commission public consultation drew more than 190,000 valid responses, with roughly 99% calling for an end to cages.
“Over 170 people rallied in Brussels to make their voices heard, appearing in person before the institution that has the power to act to stop the suffering of caged animals and save millions of male chicks from being shredded. The Commission can no longer pretend it hasn’t listened to us, and we will continue to denounce the consequences of its betrayed promises until now,” stated Ombretta Alessandrini, Campaigns Manager at Animal Equality.
Further action is planned at DG SANTE and the Berlaymont through Thursday, including a banner action and a symbolic installation. The Strategy will set the direction for legislation expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, which the incoming Irish Council Presidency will carry forward from 1 July.
