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Food, Farming, Fisheries
Food Safety

Welfare of pigs

About the group

In March 2022, the new thematic sub-group on the welfare of pigs was established within the EU Platform on Animal Welfare.

The sub-group on pigs aims to provide technical expertise and opinions to the Commission on the ways the Union's instruments can be adapted to improve the welfare of pigs at farm level. This includes taking into account the latest scientific evidence, the objective to phase out sow stalls and farrowing crates and to avoid mutilations, and the need to make the legislation enforceable.

The discussion will be of a consultative nature, as part of the Better Regulation consultation process prior to the preparation by the Commission of a legislative proposal revising Directive 2008/120/EC and Directive 98/58/EC.

The composition of the working group is available in the Register of the Commission expert groups.

Meetings 2023

8 May – Tenth Meeting of the sub-group on welfare of pigs

16 January – Ninth Meeting of the sub-group on welfare of pigs

  • Agenda
  • Minutes
  • Presentation - EFFAB pig breeders' perspective and contributions to the revision of the animal welfare legislation

Previous meetings

Meetings 2022

13 December – Eighth Meeting of the sub-group on welfare of pigs

7 November – Seventh Meeting of the sub-group on welfare of pigs

17 October – Sixth Meeting of the sub-group on welfare of pigs

19 September – Fifth Meeting of the sub-group on welfare of pigs

5 July – Fourth Meeting of the sub-group on welfare of pigs

27 June – Third Meeting of the sub-group on welfare of pigs

  • Agenda
  • Minutes
  • Presentation - Implementing EU legislation on tail docking current obstacles and future options
  • Presentation - Practical experiences from field: what we learned during these years working with long tail pigs

19 May – Second meeting of the sub-group on welfare of pigs

31 March – First meeting of the sub-group on welfare of pigs

CLOSED - Subgroup on pigs 2018-2020

In September 2018, a thematic sub-group on welfare of pigs was established within the EU Platform on Animal Welfare.

The overall objective of the pig sub-group is to assist the Platform and initially will consider how the risk of tail biting can be reduced through meeting the relevant legal requirements included in Directives 98/58/EC, 2008/120/EC and taking into account Commission Recommendation (EU) 2016/336. The pig sub-group shall take into account, coordinate and complement any ongoing activities in this area such as: the activities on pig welfare of the first EU Reference Centre for animal welfare and the three-year Project on reducing systematic tail-docking of piglets in the EU countries.

The pig subgroup will review the use of indicators and assessment criteria, in quality assurance, agri-food schemes and in research, for issues related to tail-biting. The subgroup will advise the Commission on current practice and how such indicators and criteria could be further developed.

The sub-group will promote the exchange of information, experience and good practices and facilitate cooperation in this area, with the purpose of supporting the Platform's work and contributing to the achievement of its objectives.

The sub-group will meet for the first time in Grange (Ireland) on 26th November 2018. Thereafter it will meet twice a year.

Meetings 2019

Meetings 2018