EU: EFSA’s scientific opinion on the welfare of animals kept on fur farms published

On 30 July 2025, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its scientific opinion on the welfare of animals kept for fur production. The report focuses on whether current housing conditions meet the basic needs of species such as mink, foxes, and chinchillas. The European Commission had requested an independent scientific assessment from EFSA with the specific mandate to identify the most relevant welfare consequences (WCs) and associated hazards for each of the species examined, and to assess whether these WCs can be prevented or significantly reduced under current farming conditions. The conclusion is unequivocal: the farming systems currently used for fur animals in Europe do not meet animal welfare requirements. EFSA’s opinion highlights severe restrictions on species-specific behaviour, caused by factors such as small wire cages, a lack of enrichment and hiding spaces, and high levels of stress. For none of the species studied could a housing system be identified that meets welfare standards from a scientific point of view. Legally, fur farming in the EU is not specifically regulated. It falls under the general animal protection provisions of Directive 98/58/EC concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes. There is no dedicated EU legislation for fur animals. Only a non-binding recommendation by the Council of Europe from 1999 (Recommendation R(99)16) addresses fur farming conditions. This request was made following a commitment by the European Commission to respond to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “Fur Free Europe”, which calls for an EU-wide ban on fur farming and the marketing of fur products.