EU Links Trade Benefits with Ukraine to Animal Welfare Standards
The European Council has adopted a decision defining the position that the European Union will take to promote enhanced animal welfare standards in Ukraine and to reduce or remove customs duties on agri-food products, including dairy, fresh produce, meat, and meat preparations. The alignment of animal welfare regulations has become a central requirement in the updated EU-Ukraine trade framework, known as the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA).
Key areas of focus include animal welfare, pesticide regulation, and veterinary medicines. Eurogroup for Animals, representing over one hundred animal protection organizations across EU member states, has welcomed the inclusion of stronger animal welfare commitments, particularly the move against the continued use of battery cages for laying hens. While the EU banned such cages in 2012, the practice remains legal in Ukraine, where hens are still kept in extremely restrictive conditions that severely compromise their welfare.
In 2024, Ukraine accounted for nearly half of all EU imports of eggs and egg products, most of which were produced under systems that would be illegal within the Union. Ukraine is also the largest external supplier of eggs to the United Kingdom. Furthermore, its poultry meat sector has become a major exporter, positioning Ukraine among the EU’s three leading suppliers of chicken meat.
