Ways EU law might matter for farmed animals (Rethink Priorities)
Many of those who see the value in corporate campaigns that compel public-facing companies to demand higher animal welfare standards from their suppliers believe an effective end goal for these efforts is to enshrine such standards into law (see statements to this effect by Josh Balk, David Coman-Hidy, and Saulius Šimčikas). Farmed animals in the European Union (EU) are covered by the highest farmed animal welfare legal standards in the world [1], and so it likely makes it a good area to understand if one’s end goal is legislation. A sizeable proportion of resources within Effective Animal Advocacy currently go towards groups and activities attempting to alter animal welfare rules in the EU (and Europe more generally). Much more resources could go to these groups if EU policy and potential paths to impact are better understood.
As part of Rethink Priorities’ research into European Union farmed animal welfare policy, here we sketch out some points we think are important to consider when assessing whether EU law is an important arena to work on for improving the lives of farmed animals. This is an entry in a series by Rethink Priorities that will examine how EU animal welfare laws are made and enforced, the type of laws that are most successful, and the impact of EU standards abroad via trade policies. This work may help inform the funding strategies of those concerned with EU level animal welfare legislation, the lobbying and advocacy activity of groups directly involved in the EU, and policy makers interested in designing EU laws most likely to be complied with.
Following the classic scale, neglectedness, and tractability EA framework, one should consider:
- Scale – What is the impact of EU laws on animals in EU countries and abroad?
- Neglectedness – Is the funding, research, and number of organizations working on EU law adequate?
- Tractability – Does the apparent end of a decade-long hiatus on animal welfare legislation in the EU offer opportunities for new victories?