Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Commission approved €20 million Danish State aid scheme to fund higher animal welfare standards for pigs.
How will the €20 million Danish aid scheme benefit pig welfare?
The European Commission has authorised, under EU State aid regulations, a Danish scheme, with a budget of around €20 million, to back higher animal welfare standards for pigs.
According to the European Commission, the scheme strives to support pig farmers in the enactment of preventive measures that lower the risk of tail-biting among pigs, which results from stress and sub-optimal living requirements of pigs, and that help bypass the need for tail-docking (the shortening of tails) of piglets. The preventive efforts supported by the scheme include additional supervision, extra feeding and drinking areas, and improved housing conditions.
The scheme will operate until 31 December 2029 and will be available to pig farmers in Denmark. Under the scheme, the aid will take the form of direct assistance and subsidised services (such as training and development activities) and will cover up to 100% of suitable costs.
How does the scheme align with EU State aid regulations?
The European Commission evaluated the scheme under EU State Aid rules, in certain under Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which permits Member States to back the development of certain economic schemes under certain conditions, and the 2023 Guidelines for State aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural places.
Why did the European Commission approve the Danish pig welfare scheme?
The European Commission figured that the scheme is necessary and appropriate to attain the objective pursued, namely the advancement of animal welfare in the pork livestock sector while funding the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy and the Farm to Fork Strategy. Furthermore, the EU Commission concluded that the scheme is proportionate, as it is restricted to the minimum necessary, and will have a limited effect on competition and trade in the EU. On this basis, the EU Commission supported the Danish scheme under EU State aid rules.
