Health & Consumers Directorate General Collecting feathers from live geese: current legal situation in the EU and potential future actions 10/04/2019 Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5

Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5 EU Legislation (1) EU legislation on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes: Council Directive 98/58/EC Recommendation of the Council of Europe on geese adopted in 1999: Plucking feathers including down from live geese is prohibited. Community Action Plan on the Protection and Welfare of Animals 2006-2010 Upgrade existing minimum standards Introducing standardised animal welfare indicators 10/04/2019 Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5

Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5 EU legislation (2) Standing Committee of the European Convention distinguishes between plucking feathers from live birds, which is forbidden, and harvesting/collecting feathers which is allowed. Over the years, several media scandals regarding the practice of plucking feathers: poor enforcement of the ban 10/04/2019 Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5

Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5 State of play in the EU Questionnaire sent to Member States regarding this practice: traditional practice still carried out in HU and PL used to be carried out in CZ, FR, DE Specific legislation in force in HU 10/04/2019 Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5

Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5 State of play in the EU Data on number of farms involved in PL and HU Statements from the European Down and Feather Association No data on market for feathers collected from live birds Reliable data on enforcement? 10/04/2019 Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5

EFSA Scientific Opinion Provides scientific elements of answers to the following questions: Is it possible to make a difference between plucking and collecting feathers? Can collecting feathers be carried out in such a way that it is not painful for the birds? Impact of this practice on the overall welfare of the birds Animal-based indicators to be used to assess the welfare of geese submitted to this practice. 10/04/2019 Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5

EFSA Scientific Opinion Useful to understand the scientific background of this practice Provides useful tools to improve enforcement such as animal based welfare indicators in geese flocks Problem: how this can be enforced by Member States in commercial situation 10/04/2019 Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5

Potential future actions Legistative option ? Ban on all type of removal of feathers from live birds Proportionality and subsidiarity Impact assessment Consequences for the farmers, feathers market, goose meat industry and down industry Efficiency 10/04/2019 Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5

Potential future actions Non legislative options ? Increased administrative cooperation with Member States concerned (guidelines, results of inspections, data on farms and on quantity of feathers collected, welfare assessment protocol in farms,report to the Commission) Voluntary agreement among all stakeholders to stop buying feathers collecting from live geese 10/04/2019 Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5

Potential future actions Combination of non legislative and legislative options ? 10/04/2019 Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5

Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5 Conclusion EFSA Scientific opinion good basis to consider all options. Involvement of the Member States concerned and all stakeholders necessary. Assessment of all potential options needed within the frame of the future EU strategy on animal welfare 10/04/2019 Laurence Bonafos Animal Welfare Unit D5