It's Time to Close Fur Farms for Good!

The EU must listen to our voices – more than 1.5 million ask for a Fur Free Europe

15.12.2023

Millions of innocent animals live locked up in tiny cages only to be brutally killed for their fur. In May 2022, the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) #FurFreeEurope petition was launched and received the support of more than eighty European organisations.

It closed on March 1st, because in less than ten months over 1.7 million signatures were collected for a #FurFreeEurope. Formal requirements of an ECI are to collect one million signatures and reach signature thresholds in at least 7 member states.

In June 2023, the official validation process was completed, and it is certain: Fur Free Europe represents the most successful ECI for animal welfare, while being the third most successful overall!

More than 1.5 million EU citizens ask for a Fur Free Europe! The ECI also reached national thresholds in 18 member states.

As part of the official process after a successful ECI, the organisers of #FurFreeEurope met with the European Commission in July 2023 and, in October 2023, participated in a public hearing in the European Parliament. The European Commission responded publicly to the initiative on December 7 2023.

What’s next?

In its formal response to #FurFreeEurope, the European Commission announced that, pending a scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), fur farms and the placing on the market of farmed fur products could be banned in the EU. Based on EFSA’s opinion, the Commission will announce by March 2026 whether it considers it appropriate to propose a ban after a transitional period or if they prefer other measures such as improved husbandry standards.

While this process will unfortunately take time, FOUR PAWS and all other groups involved are staying tuned to influence the final political decision towards ending this cruel practice. We remain confident that the Commission will ultimately recognize what we all already know: Fur farms are not compatible with animal welfare!

Why over 1.5 million citizens signed to ban fur for good

UNACCEPTABLE: The living conditions of innocent wild animals, such as raccoon dogs, foxes and mink, farmed for fur are horrific. They stand no chance, kept in tiny cages and brutally killed for their fur. Let’s call on the EU not only to ban fur farming, but also ban sales of farmed fur in Europe.
UNSAFE: Fur farms pose a risk to animal and human health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of mink farms experienced coronavirus outbreaks, and new variants of the virus were transmitted to humans from animals. This can happen again if we don’t stop it!
UNSUSTAINABLE: Fur farming has a big environmental impact and poses a severe threat to our planet. Producing fur involves using toxic chemicals. In terms of land pollution by toxic metals, fur dressing and dyeing is ranked in the top five highest pollution-intensity industries.