Compassion in World Farming Logo

European Coalition for Farm Animals

Overview

The European Coalition for Farm Animals (ECFA) is an alliance of animal advocacy groups including 31 organisations in 25 European countries and Israel. It is an informal, activity-based Coalition with the objective of achieving an end to Europe-wide factory farming and the long distance transport of live animals.

Brief history and future objectives

David Bellamy campaigning against battery cages for CIWF in 1993

ECFA was formed in 1993 in anticipation of an EU review of the Battery Cages Directive due in that year. Proposals for this review failed to emerge for another 5 years. However, the Coalition did mount two highly successful campaign tours of Europe; In 1994 against battery cages, and in 1995 against the veal crate. This helped lead to the EU prohibiting veal crates as from 2007.

When proposals to amend the Battery Cages Directive finally emerged in early 1998, the Coalition came into its own. It provided effective co-ordination of a sustained campaign, which culminated in the EU prohibiting battery cages for laying hens as from 2012.

In 1997 we won a new status for animals in EU law, in which they are recognized as sentient beings.

In 2001 the ECFA campaign against the factory farming of pigs was successful in achieving an EU phase-out of sow stalls (sadly they are still permitted for the first four weeks of a sow’s pregnancy).

Our film ‘Some Lie Dying’ put the issue of the long distance transport of live animals firmly on the agenda and our campaign to end this trade reached a milestone in 2001 when the European Parliament voted for an 8 hour limit on the transport of animals for slaughter or further fattening. This campaign is ongoing and in May 2002 we presented the world’s largest postcard to the Agriculture Council calling for them to end the long distance transport of animals.

In July 2005, intensive lobbying of MEPs by ECFA members resulted in a majority of MEPs voting to support a Written Declaration calling for an end to the payment of EU farm subsidies on exports of live cattle to the Middle East.

The ECFA partners are currently co-ordinating their campaign efforts to call for stronger EU legislation to ensure a better future for egg-laying hens and meat chickens (broilers) in Europe .

ECFA strategy

The guiding strategy for the Coalition is to bring pressure to bear on the ruling Council of the European Union. On farm policy, the final decisions are taken by the Agriculture Council of Ministers, which consists of the Agriculture Minister from every EU member state. For effective pressure, it is essential to target the individual members of this Council with lobbying and campaign initiatives emanating from their own country. To lobby the whole Agriculture Council therefore requires focused campaigning in all EU member states.

ECFA secretariat

CIWF HQ holds the ECFA Secretariat

Barbara Dias-Pais, barbara.ciwf@wanadoo.fr Tel: 00 33 624 254508
Southern Region Co-ordinator for ECFA, works from France; supports ECFA groups in the Southern Region.

Ewa Gebert, biuro@otoz.pl, Tel: 00 48 58 550 4373
Eastern & Central Region Co-ordinator for ECFA, works from Poland, supports ECFA groups in the Eastern and Central Region