We try to avoid talking about politics too much, we know you, our wonderful customers, are a diverse bunch of folk and we don’t want to alienate, annoy or stress-out anyone…. However, the result of the EU referendum may have big consequences for animals and the environment, and we felt we should do a round-up of information for those who are undecided.

First up, here is a little about three organisations working at the EU level for improved animal welfare.

Euro-animal-7 coalition

In the 2014 EU election, a coalition was formed between 7 political parties dedicated to animal welfare. They won 2 MEP’s and 3 MP’s in Europe.

For the first time ever, there were 7 animal protection parties from across Europe contesting together. The name given informally to these 7 animal protection parties is ‘The Euro Animal 7′ and this group represents voters in Germany, Spain, UK, Portugal, Sweden, The Netherlands and Cyprus. …Read More

Eurogroup for animals

“Eurogroup for Animals represents animal protection organisations in all EU Member States. Since its launch in 1980, the organisation has succeeded in encouraging the EU to adopt higher legal standards for animal protection.”

The European Coalition to End Animal Experiments

“The European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE) is grouping of 20 animal protection organisations across the European Union (EU). We work to reverse the rising tide of animal experiments – currently over 11 million each year in Europe alone.”

“The Coalition was formed in 1990 by organisations across Europe to campaign for a ban on animal testing for cosmetics. Having successfully achieved this objective in 2013, today we lead the European campaign against all animal testing. … Read more.”

A new European Animal Welfare strategy by 2020

“In November 2015, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of adopting a resolution that calls on the European Commission to formulate a new Animal Welfare Strategy.”

“The resolution asks for the current EU acquis affecting animal welfare to be updated and consolidated with stronger enforcement, and higher animal welfare standards educating both farming and trade. Sentience within animals was cited as a fundamental principle of the resolution.” …Read More.

In or out debate – perspectives

The buav / cruelty free international – Neutral

“Cruelty Free International is working hard with our partner organisations to achieve a positive result. We’re working to increase transparency and crack down on the worst abuses of the system. If we succeed, it will help animals not just in Britain but in all 28 of the EU countries.” … Read more.

Leave	Remain
“The advantage of Britain being separate is that it could be easier to achieve change, since only one government needs to be persuaded, not 28 governments.The excuse that politicians would like to be tougher but are limited by European rules would no longer exist.”	“The drawback is that any change might not be positive for animals, and even if was, it would only affect animals in Britain rather than across the whole of Europe.”

Friends of the earth – Remain

Being part of the European Union has given us:

Cleaner beaches and drinking water
Less air pollution
Safer products
Protected wildlife

“In a nutshell: Cleaner beaches and drinking water, less air pollution, safer products and protected wildlife are all things we’ve gained from being part of the European Union (EU). But it hasn’t all been positive. For example, the Common Agriculture Policy has proved an environmental disaster. And sadly the EU is increasingly and simplisticly obsessed with economic growth and free trade. Even so, exiting the EU would leave the UK’s environment in even worse shape. We need to overhaul the EU so that it focuses on improving people’s wellbeing and acts as a global champion for the shared environment we all depend upon.“… Read More

Soil association – Remain

“The Soil Association is in favour of the United Kingdom remaining in the European Union. One of the Soil Association’s key charitable objectives is to preserve, conserve and protect ‘the environment through the prudent use of natural resources, including by the promotion of organic and sustainable farming techniques’ and our view is that these objectives are more likely to be achieved if the UK remains a member of the EU.”

“In terms of the EU’s budget, agriculture is the most significant of all the EU’s areas of activity, and the EU’s support for organic farming has had a positive impact on the policies adopted by the four national governments in the UK. Not remaining in the EU could negatively affect UK organic farmers, and the level of organic farming in the UK, and thus the delivery of the Soil Association’s charitable objectives. In addition, the possible negative impact on efforts to preserve, conserve and protect the environment, and the absence of significant expert view that there might be positive impacts in these areas if the UK left the EU, reinforces the Soil Association’s view that it would be right for the UK to remain in the EU.” – Thanks to Natasha Collins-Daniel, Press Manager at the Soil Association for sending me this.

The animal welfare party – Remain

Remain	Leave
“AWP believes we are better placed to fight for a better world for people, animals and the environment if the UK remains within the EU.”	“In many respects, EU citizens have been reduced to consumers and taxpayers, and animals and the environment to consumables”

On Animal Welfare in the UK versus other European countries

“Although the UK has a proud history of thought leadership on animal rights and welfare dating back to 1822 when we were the first country in the world to implement laws protecting animals, we may now have been overtaken by the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and Australia – all of whom have already elected dedicated representatives for animals to their decision-making bodies” … Read More.

On how the EU changes the rest of the world

“Of course many social justice victories are about precedent and wins for animals in Europe don’t end there. All improvements in legislation for animals in the EU advance the possibilities for improved animal protection in other countries and, in many ways, the EU is now leading the way in animal welfare legislation and signalling to the rest of the world that things need to change”… Read More.

Kent Action Against Live Exports – Leave

“Ian and I will be voting to leave because we have campaigned for the last 20 years to stop the export trade and we are constantly told that the UK is prevented from banning the trade due to the Treaty of Rome. Even though the Treaty of Lisbon made animals sentient beings, when they go for export they revert to goods.

We do not know if this is the best way but we would then only have one government to fight instead of 28; and the Commission has to look after so many countries who have no regard for animal suffering at all. Instead of their standards coming up to ours, we have to lower ours to accommodate them.” … quoted here. KAALE website.

Green Party – Remain

“The Green Party wants Britain to remain a part of the EU because we believe that we flourish when we work together on the shared challenges we face. “ … Read More.

Greenpeace – Remain

“Whether you care about wildlife protection or sewage in our oceans and on our beaches – the EU has played a leading role in making sure that the UK keeps to a high standard of environmental protection.” … Read more

A shared environment

“There are countless creatures that come and go into the British Isles. Whether we like it or not, we all have a shared environment in Europe. It applies to the air we breathe and the seas we swim in, and we need to govern them together.” … Read more

Vote Leave campaign says

Vote leave campaign page on animal welfare.

“Under EU law, we are powerless to stop live animals being exported abroad for slaughter. This means that each year, tens of thousands of lambs have to endure journeys across the Channel to be slaughtered, even though public opinion is strongly opposed to the practice.”

“Current legislation creates an obligation to have ‘open’ ports and permit the transport of any product. This could be amended to place targeted restrictions on some trades, such as live export for slaughter, on ethical grounds. However, under EU law, the trade is deemed lawful and the EU Courts have made clear in previous judgments that such a restriction on the trade in live animals would not be accepted. Public authorities have previously been fined by the courts for attempting to ban the practice.” … Read More.

Ethical Pets – we say remain.

We have lots of ties to Europe, both personally and professionally. Joey has family in Europe. He is also a big fan of Star Trek – if it was up to him we would live in the United Federation of Planets, never mind the EU. Anna lives and breathes the internet and works with people from over the world, she doesn’t really understand “borders”.

We both believe that the best way to change the world is by uniting with other like minded people irrespective of geography, and where the EU is lacking, change is best achieved from within.

As a company we import Yarrah Organic pet food from the Netherlands, which is made nice and easy for us by the EU. We both love local shopping, however, right now the highest ethical standards make for a pretty niche product range: we believe that making products which are exceptionally ethical (like Yarrah) often requires unity between suppliers, retailers and customers on an international level.

While we are proud to be from a nation of animal lovers, we are really impressed with the wide range of ethical and vegan products in countries like Germany, and think the UK has a lot to learn from our European friends.

The EU referendum: animal welfare and the environment