Brussels protesters demand EU act on cage-free livestock pledge

The rally, organized by the advocacy group Animal Equality, highlights the growing friction between Brussels and the 1.4 million citizens who signed the ‘End the Cage Age’ initiative in 2021. While the European Parliament overwhelmingly backed the transition, the Commission’s initial timeline was derailed by intense pressure from farming lobbies. Campaign manager Ombretta Alessandrini stated that the movement feels betrayed by the repeated delays and is demanding that the Commission honor its democratic mandate.

Currently, the Commission aims to propose legislation banning poultry cages and the culling of male chicks by the end of 2026, with pig welfare reforms slated for 2027. Legal pressure is mounting alongside public outcry; Animal Equality has already initiated proceedings against the institution at the European Court of Justice. Because the citizens’ initiative surpassed the one-million-signature threshold, the Commission remains under a formal legal obligation to provide a substantive response to the demands.