Support for fur farming in Europe is dwindling, with a residents’ petition gaining sufficient signatures for a possible regulation change.
The EU may very well be one step nearer to banning fur farms due to a residents’ petition.
Having now garnered over 1.5 million signatures, the Fur Free Europe European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) has far surpassed the assist wanted for a possible regulation change.
The petition, which goals to realize an EU-wide ban on maintaining and killing of animals for the only function of fur manufacturing, was submitted to the European Commission on Wednesday (14 June) for consideration.
Fur is falling in reputation in each the EU and UK. The worth of fur imports within the EU dropped greater than 60 per cent over the previous decade, based on animal welfare organisation Four Paws.
So how do European nations stack up with regards to the import and export of fur?
Which European nation produces probably the most fur?
Alongside China, Europe is likely one of the world’s largest fur producers, although the business has been in decline since 2014.
In Europe, annual mink manufacturing decreased from 45 million in 2014 to roughly 12 million in 2021, studies Brussels-based animal safety lobbyist Eurogroup for Animals.
Finland and Poland are the EU nations with the very best variety of fur farms.
The largest fur producing and importing nation in Europe is Finland, although a big proportion of its imports are re-exported to nations akin to South Korea and Vietnam. According to animal safety charity Humane Society International (HSI), the nation’s export worth of fur was €126 million in 2021, down from €477 million in 2013.
Finland is the biggest producer of foxes (primarily ‘blue’ foxes) and raccoon dogs, with a manufacturing of 900,000 fox fur pelts in 2021, down from 2.53 million in 2017, Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association (FIFUR) figures present.
Poland is presently the biggest mink farmer, having produced 4.5 million pelts in 2021. Lithuania, Greece, Finland and Spain make up the remainder of the highest 5, after COVID-19 outbreaks on farms pressured Danish farmers to cull their animal inventory.
In December, Denmark introduced plans to raise its momentary ban on mink farming and import 10,000 mink from Finland, Iceland, Poland, Norway and Spain to start out a brand new breeding programme for fur farms this yr.
ADVERTISEMENTEU exports of farmed fur to 3rd nations are primarily destined for Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Russia, South Korea and Thailand. Turkey can also be a serious shopper of fur.
Which European nations have banned fur farming?
Fur farming has been banned in 19 European nations, 14 of that are EU member states.
These embrace Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and the UK.
Political discussions on a ban are additionally underway in Romania, Lithuania and Poland, based on HSI.
England and Wales have been the primary European nations to implement a ban on far farming in 2003. Latvia was the latest to introduce a ban in September 2022.
ADVERTISEMENTWhile Switzerland and Germany haven’t enacted bans, strict animal welfare legal guidelines have shuttered all fur farms in these nations.
Similarly in Sweden, stricter animal welfare necessities have led to the phase-out of fox and chinchilla farms; the nation’s momentary ban on mink farming was lifted in 2022 with sure restrictions.
Hungary has banned the breeding of mink, foxes, polecats and coypu for fur on animal welfare and public well being grounds.
Although Denmark is ready to return to mink farming, the nation has banned fox farming and the building of recent raccoon canine farms.
A fur farming ban can even come into place in Norway in 2025.
ADVERTISEMENTBulgaria‘s plan to ban the breeding and import of mink was suspended in August final yr following an attraction.
Is the UK planning to ban fur imports?
Last yr, rumours swirled that the UK authorities might again out of its promise to ban the import of fur.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) corrected these studies, saying future laws to ban the imports of fur and foie gras has not been dropped, however faces an absence of progress because of restricted Parliamentary time.
The UK has traditionally been a pacesetter on animal rights, turning into the primary European nation to ban fur farming on moral grounds again in 2003. But the nation imported round £55 million (€62m) price of fur in 2019, based on UK charity coalition Wildlife and Countryside Link.
Yet as shoppers change into extra involved about animal welfare, public well being and the atmosphere, demand for fur merchandise is lowering.
There is powerful public backing for a UK fur gross sales ban, with over 1.1 million signatures collected up to now, based on DEFRA, whereas an April 2022 ballot exhibits 77 per cent of British voters assume the UK Government ought to ban the importation of animal merchandise akin to fur.
Have any nations banned the commerce of fur?
In the EU, the import and commerce of seal skins and canine and cat furs has been prohibited since 2009. The UK additionally has restrictions on the import of fur from home cats and dogs, industrial seal hunts, and from wild animals trapped for his or her fur.
However, the sale of fur normally stays authorized throughout Europe. In 2021, Israel turned the primary nation on the earth to ban fur gross sales. In the US, sure cities and states have enforced their very own bans, together with California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York City, Oregon and Rhode Island.
Animal rights teams are calling for a blanket EU ban on fur farming and gross sales, citing animal welfare, public well being, environmental and financial issues.
The European Citizens’ Initiative Fur Free Europe has to date garnered greater than 1.5 million signatures.
