EU Lawmakers Press Commission for Cage Ban Timeline as Activists Stage Four-Day Brussels Protest

Animal Equality activists staged a four-day demonstration outside the European Commission in Brussels, coinciding with the AGRIFISH Council meeting in Luxembourg and the EU Livestock Strategy. The protests were accompanied by a letter from the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals, urging the Commission to set a clear timeline for the ban on all cages by 2040.

The campaign, supported by the End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative, calls for an EU-wide phase-out of cages for laying hens and sows, a ban on male chick culling, and equivalent welfare standards for imports. The Commission's public consultation in 2025 received overwhelming support for ending cages, with roughly 99% of respondents in favor. Further action is planned in Brussels, with the Strategy expected to pave the way for legislation in 2026 under the Irish Council Presidency.