Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Olivér Várhelyi, has outlined a concrete timeline for introducing equivalent animal welfare standards for imported products, responding to a parliamentary question from Greens MEP Saskia Bricmont. The commitment, first announced in the EU Vision on Agriculture and Food in February 2025, aims to level the playing field for EU farmers who face competition from producers in third countries with lower animal welfare requirements. Várhelyi's answer signals that the Commission will use upcoming sector-specific legislative revisions to embed mirror clauses, addressing concerns about competitive fairness and animal welfare leakage.
The answer, dated 28 July 2026, confirms that the Commission is preparing a targeted revision of animal welfare rules for laying hens and broilers by the end of 2026, followed by a similar proposal for pig welfare in the second quarter of 2027. These proposals will also introduce equivalent requirements for imported products in those sectors, in line with World Trade Organization rules. The Commission launched a Call for Evidence in June 2025 to support this work, and the Livestock Strategy of 7 July 2026 further reinforced the timeline. Coordination across relevant Directorates-General will be ensured through the Interservice Coordination Group and formal Interservice Consultation. The Commission plans to consult stakeholders, including international trading partners, and will publish an external study with impact assessments for third countries. After adoption, outreach to third countries will explain the changes.
The Commission is moving from declaratory support to legislative action, with a clear sector-by-sector approach. The inclusion of import equivalence in the upcoming proposals represents a concrete step toward aligning internal and external standards, though the scope is initially limited to laying hens, broilers, and pigs. Institutional follow-up: The first legislative proposal is expected by end of 2026, with the second by Q2 2027. The Commission will engage with trading partners during preparation and after adoption to mitigate protectionism allegations.
EU farmers stand to benefit from reduced competitive disadvantage, while third-country producers may face higher compliance costs. EU consumers may see higher prices but improved animal welfare standards. Civil society groups and animal welfare advocates will likely welcome the move, though some may push for faster or broader application. Trade partners may raise concerns about protectionism, but the Commission's WTO-justification and consultation efforts aim to preempt such criticism.