The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the review of animal welfare legislation.
The commission hopes to present a revised legislative proposal to member states and the European Parliament within two years.
Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides said: “Animal welfare is a benchmark for civilised societies.
“Sustainable food production could not be achieved without it being taken into account and that is why it is a pillar of our Farm to Fork strategy.
“Our citizens care about animals, and they want the EU to do more for them.
“The opinion of citizens is therefore essential as we embark on the development of future European rules on animal welfare.
“We will also pay particular attention to what farmers, food sector operators, NGOs and public authorities have to bring to us on this subject.”
The commission is asking people to “help build a better future for animals in the EU” by participating in the consultation.
The consultation is open until January 21, 2022. It follows a roadmap published last summer and which had received nearly a thousand comments.
The aim of the planned review is to “ensure a higher level of animal welfare, to align European legislation with the latest scientific evidence, to widen its scope and make it easier to implement”.