EU and UK closer cooperation on animal welfare

On 19 May the European Union and the United Kingdom made a renewed commitment to work towards a Common Veterinary Area. This development could be a game-changer for animals, reducing regulatory burden and increasing alignment on improving animal welfare.

Following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union in 2020, trade in animals and animal products has continued without a shared framework for aligning animal health and welfare standards. Under the current Trade and Cooperation Agreement that took effect in January 2021, there have been trade delays and complications, especially for live animals, due to extra checks and paperwork. 

During the EU-UK summit on 19 May, both sides agreed to establish a Common Veterinary Area including a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. This would simplify the movement of animals between the EU and UK by aligning rules on animal health, animal welfare, food safety, and consumer protection. With both partners following the same rules, fewer controls and certificates would be needed, reducing stress for animals in transit.

The deal mentions a “dynamic alignment”, meaning the UK would automatically align with any new EU law connected to a topic covered by the SPS agreement. For instance, when the EU revises its animal welfare legislation, including a ban on the use of cages for farmed animals, which the UK is also considering, both countries would simultaneously adopt the new legislation, raising standards across the board.

This is also important for consumer safety. Under the SPS agreement, products like hormone-treated beef or chlorinated chicken would be banned from entering the common area; this is timely as the UK is negotiating trade deals with countries like the US that may push for the UK to ease these sanitary and food safety regulations. 

Some flexibility will remain for the UK. It can opt out of dynamically aligning with new EU rules under three cumulative conditions: 

• Its standards don’t fall behind the EU’s;
• It doesn’t block EU exports to Great Britain;
• Only compliant animals and products enter the EU. 

This means the UK could still introduce stronger animal welfare laws – like a ban on live exports, a puppy import ban, or clearer labelling of how animals were raised – as long as those products do not negatively affect the EU market. 

However, if the UK raises its standards above the EU’s, it would still have to accept EU products that only meet the EU’s rules. We call on partners to rectify this imbalance so that both sides only accept products that meet their highest welfare standards, respecting the ethical concerns of UK citizens. 

Eurogroup for Animals and the Trade and Animal Welfare Coalition (TAWC) welcome the EU and UK’s renewed commitment to work together.  By building a strong, welfare-based veterinary agreement, the EU and UK can lead the way in protecting animals and upholding values shared by citizens on both sides of the Channel.