The European Commission plans to betray 1.4 million citizens by abandoning the cage ban

In an unexpected twist that has set alarm bells ringing among animal advocacy groups across Europe, a partial leak of the European Commission’s 2026 Work Programme has revealed the absence of the promised legislation to modernize animal welfare rules, including the ban on cages. This legislative silence openly contradicts the Commission’s public commitments and delivers a major setback for the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “End the Cage Age”, which calls for the removal of all cages from European farms.

The ECI, backed by more than 1.4 million signatures, is one of the EU’s most direct tools for citizen participation. In 2021, the Commission committed to presenting a legislative proposal by the end of 2023. That deadline passed without action, and the proposal was pushed to 2026. Now, the leak suggests that even in 2026 there may be no law, only a non-binding communication with no legal force.

"This is a slap in the face to European democracy and compassion," says Aïda Gascón, director of AnimaNaturalis in Spain. "We are talking about 1.4 million citizens who signed the ECI ‘End the Cage Age’, demanding an end to this systematic cruelty. For the European Commission, after publicly committing to act, to now try to sweep this legislation under the rug is simply unacceptable. It is not only a broken promise to citizens, it is a conscious decision to perpetuate the suffering of millions of caged animals."

The Window Closes on October 21

The official Work Programme will be adopted and published on Tuesday, October 21. Until then, there is a final chance to push back and reverse this decision. President von der Leyen has the ultimate authority to include the legislation. For this reason, AnimaNaturalis is issuing an urgent call to action. It is crucial that citizens’ voices are heard, louder than ever.

We ask you to take two minutes to send an email to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Your message, combined with thousands of others, could be decisive in ensuring the cage ban remains on the European agenda.

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Dear President von der Leyen,

I am writing as a member of the European citizenry to urge you to include the legislative proposal to end the cage era in the European Commission’s 2026 Work Programme.

The European Citizens’ Initiative "End the Cage Age," signed by 1.4 million people, was a historic exercise in participatory democracy. The Commission committed to act, but repeated delays and the now possible removal of this law from the Work Programme are unacceptable.

Billions of animals remain confined in cages across the EU—a cruel practice that science has warned against and that citizens demand be eradicated. Farmers and food companies also need clarity and a legal framework to transition toward more ethical and sustainable systems.

Ignoring this promise is not only a disregard for European democracy, but it also condemns millions of animals to continued suffering in cages. The 2023 deadline was already missed. Failing to meet the 2026 deadline, after multiple promises, is unacceptable.

I urge you to keep your word, listen to the citizens, and ensure that a comprehensive review of animal welfare legislation—including the ban on cages—is firmly included in the 2026 Work Programme to be adopted next week.

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This concern is shared by the End the Cage Age coalition, which brings together more than 100 organizations—including AnimaNaturalis—and has already sent an urgent letter to President von der Leyen. In addition, the ECI citizens’ committee has filed a lawsuit against the Commission at the EU Court of Justice for failing to uphold its commitment.

Broken Promises and Frustrated Expectations

The absence of the legislation in the leaked draft is particularly contradictory for several reasons:

Public commitments: Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, had repeatedly reaffirmed that the first proposals would be published in 2026.
Active public consultation: The Commission currently has a public consultation underway on the modernization of regulations, which has already received over 500 contributions.
Strategic Dialogue: The review of animal welfare legislation was highlighted as a key action in the final report of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture.

"European citizens have been waiting for years for the Commission to fulfill its promises on animal welfare. The appointment of a dedicated Commissioner raised clear expectations. That is why it is even more worrying that this key initiative is missing from the leaked Work Programme," added Gascón.