EU to reject fur-farming ban despite enormous petition

The European Commission is set to reject calls for an EU-wide ban on fur farming, opting instead to propose stricter animal-welfare standards for the sector, according to an internal draft communication seen by POLITICO.

The undated document, setting out Brussels’ long-awaited response to the “Fur Free Europe” European Citizens’ Initiative, indicates the Commission believes species-specific welfare rules, rather than prohibition, represent the “most appropriate follow-up” to the campaign backed by more than 1.5 million EU citizens.

Animal Welfare Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi is expected to steer the file through the final stages of internal consultation in the coming days, as the executive races to meet its self-imposed deadline to outline next steps by the end of March.

The draft marks a significant setback for campaigners and several member countries that had hoped the Commission would seize the initiative to phase out fur farming across the bloc. The citizens’ petition, one of the largest ever submitted under the EU’s participatory mechanism, triggered a formal legal obligation for Brussels to assess possible legislative action.

Instead, the Commission’s preliminary conclusion is that outright bans would carry “significant economic impacts” for the remaining fur-producing regions while failing to achieve the intended welfare gains if production simply shifts to third countries.

The draft does not spell out what stricter welfare rules would look like in practice. The Commission would aim to propose legislation setting EU-wide standards for mink, foxes, raccoon dogs and chinchillas by the end of 2027.

The document cites changing consumer attitudes as part of its rationale for the fur trade to continue. It says that buyers who continue to purchase fur “increasingly place importance” on how animals are treated and on broader sustainability concerns, suggesting that tougher and more transparent welfare rules could help shape remaining demand.

But the standards-first approach has not been without resistance inside the Commission. The plan follows weeks of internal wrangling in Brussels, with some senior officials pushing to explore a ban. People familiar with the discussions said the cabinet of Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera ultimately accepted the standards-based route, while seeking a clearer and potentially faster legislative timeline.

The decision could still face political headwinds. Several governments are pressing the Commission for clarity on its intentions, and diplomats say the issue is likely to resurface at upcoming meetings of EU agriculture ministers.

The Commission’s stance contrasts with the findings of the European Food Safety Authority, which warned in a 2025 scientific opinion that the cage-based production systems used in fur farming lead to major welfare problems for animals. Many of these cannot be substantially mitigated without an overhaul of the current system, EFSA concluded.

The document also underscores how sharply the sector has already declined. Fewer than 1,000 fur farms remained active across the EU in 2024, employing roughly 2,000 people, with production increasingly concentrated in a limited number of member states, including Finland, Greece and Spain.