How I Learned to Love Shrimp Alice Di Concetto on why EU animal welfare reforms failed (and what we can do next)
Jun 12, 2025
Alice Di Concetto, Executive Director and Chief Legal Advisor at the European Institute for Animal Law & Policy, discusses the stalled EU animal welfare reforms and the challenges of advocacy. She highlights the clash between domestic and import standards and the impact of trade policies. Alice delves into the push for cage-free laws and the complexities of mobilizing public support. She also explores the intersection of animal rights and environmentalism, urging for a more coordinated approach to advocacy while reminiscing about recent reforms in various EU countries.
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Changing View on Corporate Campaigns
- Alice Di Concetto initially distrusted corporate campaigns for animal welfare in the EU due to political trade agendas.
- She later saw their value as corporations adopt better practices, aiding legislative codification.
Trade Blocks Welfare Progress
- EU corporations resist animal welfare reforms fearing competitive disadvantage from imports without similar standards.
- Trade policies thus hinder progress unless import standards align with domestic ones.
Ambitious EU Reforms Stalled
- The EU's ambitious farm animal welfare reform plans were mostly abandoned due to political shifts.
- Only the animal transport regulation revision survived after the 2023 elections favored anti-reform parties.