Summary Description
- Sets minimum standards regulating the treatment of all farmed animals, including fish, animals for fur, skin, or fur purposes, except invertebrates.
- TopicThe topic of the legislation or policy covered by the text
- AgricultureAnimal welfare
- SpeciesThe animal, or type of food production, covered by the text
- Farmed animals
- JurisdictionCountry or geographical area where the text applies
- EU
- Sub-jurisdictionCountry or state where the text applies
- EU Member States laws can impose stricter standards.
- Type of ActWhether the act is a law, regulation, or policy, or another type of text
- Legislation
- StatusIndicates whether the act is in force or not
- In force
- Legal ValueWhether the text is binding or not
- Binding
- Date enactedDate the text was adopted
- 1998
- Date updatedDate when the entry was last updated by the CALF team
- June, 2023
- Official citation
- Council Directive 98/58 of 20 July 1998 Concerning the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes, 1998 O.J. L 221/23 - 27 (E.U.)
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths
- Broad scope (covers all animals fish, farmed for food, fibre, or fur purposes, except invertebrates).
- The Annex sets general principles regarding:
- Space allowance (animals "must be given the space appropriate to [their] physiological and ethological needs").
- Buildings must "not be harmful to the animals."
- Access to feed and water, and access to a diet "appropriate to their age and species." Animals shall not be "provided with food or liquid in a manner [...] which may cause unnecessary suffering or injury."
- "Breeding procedures which cause or are likely to cause suffering or injury [...] must not be practiced, and "no animals shall be kept for farming purposes unless it can reasonably be expected, on the basis of its genotype or phenotype, that it can be kept without detrimental effect on its health and welfare."
- Weaknesses
- The act excludes invertebrates from its scope and does not provide species-specific care including developmental.
- Physiological, and ethological needs not addressed.
- The language of the provisions is vague and almost always provides basis for exemptions to general principles (e.g. freedom of movement, mutilations, building specifications).
- The act contains no enforcement mechanisms.