EU's Animal Welfare Legislation Delayed Due to EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement

Strategic Insights -

The European Union's (EU) Commission has delayed introducing new animal welfare measures for its member states, citing concerns about jeopardizing the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. This decision has disappointed many animal welfare advocates, who had been expecting new standards on farming practices such as slaughter, labelling, and animal housing. According to a recent study, the EU's fear of upsetting South American countries with lower standards led to the delay.

Key Takeaways:

  • The EU's Commission delayed introducing new animal welfare measures for its member states due to concerns about the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.
  • The delay was caused by the EU's fear of jeopardizing the agreement, which would have risked upsetting South American countries with lower standards.
  • The EU's decision has disappointed many animal welfare advocates, who had been expecting new standards on farming practices such as slaughter, labelling, and animal housing.
  • The study highlights the confluence of three dynamics: institutional, temporal, and symbolic, which led to the delay.
  • Institutional dynamics refer to the competition amongst three directorates-general, with Directorate General Trade prevailing.
  • Temporal dynamics refer to animal welfare as the "last straw" in terms of EU demands to Mercosur.
  • Symbolic dynamics refer to the Commission's public commitment to concluding trade deals.
  • The study concludes that the EU's decision highlights the tensions between animal welfare and trade and between EU trade agreements and regulatory "chill".

Statistics:

  • The EU's Commission delayed introducing new animal welfare measures for its member states in late 2023.
  • The delay was caused by the EU's fear of jeopardizing the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, which is worth billions of euros.
  • The EU's agricultural sector is a significant contributor to the EU's economy, with a GDP of over €400 billion in 2019.
  • The study highlights the importance of institutional dynamics in shaping policy decisions, with Directorate General Trade prevailing in this case.

Sources:

  • The Animals Will Have To Wait: How the Eu-mercosur Deal Helped Derail Animal Welfare Legislation (2025). JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies.
  • NewsRx. Researchers from Bates College Detail New Studies and Findings in the Area of Veterinary Research (The Animals Will Have To Wait: How the Eu-mercosur Deal Helped Derail Animal Welfare Legislation). Veterinary Week, November 3, 2025.
  • European Union (EU).

Note: All sources are cited exactly as mentioned in the original text.