European Union stalls on its promise to ‘End the Cage Age’ as activists fight back
Update March 23, 24, 2026: Over 100 activists came together in Brussels to protest for two days outside the European Commission.
Update March 5, 2026: Animal Equality joined other organizations outside the Court of Justice in Luxembourg, calling on the EU Commission to provide a clear timeline and fulfill its long-standing promise to animals.
Update February 27, 2026: The European Commission released results from its largest-ever public consultation on farmed animal welfare. According to data from 190,000 verified respondents, 99% supported phasing out cages for hens and pigs, while nearly 98% said killing male chicks is ethically unacceptable.
On February 23, Animal Equality protested outside of the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. The demonstration called out EU officials for stalling on their promise to reform their animal protection laws. Activists from across Europe joined the protest, calling the delay a “political betrayal.”
In 2021, the Commission promised a law to phase out the use of cages on farms across the European Union.
It also pledged to update EU-wide animal protection rules and end the killing of male chicks in the egg industry.
Now, in 2026, those laws have yet to be introduced.
Experts now warn the Commission may publish a non-binding “strategy” instead of a law. A strategy sets goals, but it might not create legal deadlines or penalties.
Animal Equality has reignited its campaign against the EU Commission to ensure these animal protection laws are finally put into place.
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Protests continue as court battle nears
The next day, demonstrators gathered outside the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, which drafts animal protection laws.
Protesters displayed banners naming the EU’s Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, who is overseeing reforms expected in 2026.
Legal pressure is building. Animal Equality has been approved to participate as an intervening party in a case before the EU’s highest court next month.
Advocates say the outcome could shape the future of factory farming, affecting animals and consumers for years to come.
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