Vegan burgers are confusing consumers, according to Céline Imart, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the conservative European People’s party (EPP).
Last week, a majority of 355-247 MEPs voted to stop the use of words like “steak” and “sausage” for plant-based products.
The move has attracted much ridicule. Austrian MEP Anna Stürgkh of the centrist Renew group urged fellow lawmakers to “stop this hotdog populism”. Imart’s EPP colleague Manfred Weber said “consumers are not stupid”.
While the European Parliament focuses on fake controversies to re-brand a vegan steak as a vegan slab, animal welfare issues are falling behind — with real consequences.
Animal welfare during transport
The European Commission set out to conduct a much-needed “broad overhaul” of EU animal welfare legislation in the 2019-2024 term.
Many of the EU’s animal welfare laws are more than two decades old. Unsurprisingly, a great number of recommendations now fall short of updated veterinary best practices.
Out of this broad-based ambition, only one concrete proposal emerged. In December 2023, the European Commission issued a document on the protection of animals during transport.
The proposed regulation deals with four priorities:
- Limited journey times: the proposal sets the maximum journey time of nine hours for animals going to slaughter.
- Increased space allowances: minimum space requirements would be codified based on weight and species.
- Consistency for exports to non-EU countries: application of the regulations for export outside the European Union.
- Temperature limits: travel would not be allowed when day temperatures are above 30°C.
Another road block on animal welfare
Shamefully, even the transport proposal has now stalled. Almost two years after publishing the proposal, the route to getting the bill into law remains hazy, recent reports suggest.
While the European Parliament debates if a sausage is a sausage, and the European Commission delays its animal welfare agenda, billions of sentient creatures continue to suffer.
Basic transport practices are continually flouted, as recent cases of pig exporters falsifying official documents in Denmark reveal. Decapod crustaceans are still missing from EU animal welfare laws, despite abundant scientific evidence that they are sentient.
Phasing out the atrocities of industrial animal agriculture requires an ambitious legislative agenda, combined with an evolution in public attitudes and a re-alignment of economic interests. That Europe is struggling to take even small steps towards better welfare bodes ill. When added to the massive leap away from plant-based foods via the new labelling rules, the picture looks even more bleak.
Next stop?
Nevertheless, the fight for animal welfare continues. A new consulatation for on-farm animal welfare has opened. NGOs continue to promote a plant-based food system that would meet Europe’s desire for food sovereignity and homegrown jobs.
Animal advocates haven’t thrown in the towel. Billions of lives depend on them. ★
Feature image credit: Laura Peruchi / Human Cruelties / We Animals
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