Animal Advocacy & Food Transition took part in the European Commission’s Call for Evidence on the modernisation of the EU Better Regulation Framework, calling for a clear commitment to better regulation, not deregulation.
At a time when “simplification” is increasingly used as a political slogan, it must not become a pretext for weakening EU protections for animals, public health, the environment and citizens. Better Regulation should strengthen, not undermine, science-based policymaking and democratic participation.
The EU must be able to act quickly in times of crisis without sacrificing scientific integrity or transparency. Speed and science should go hand in hand. Proportionate impact assessments, strong reliance on independent scientific bodies and clear safeguards against lobbying-driven shortcuts are essential to preserve trust and policy quality.
Stakeholder participation must remain meaningful and balanced. Efforts to streamline consultations should not sideline civil society or privilege well-resourced corporate actors. Participation must remain accessible, transparent and impactful, particularly in light of past failures to follow up on strong citizen input, such as the End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative.
Simplification must not mean rolling back protections. Making EU law clearer and easier to implement is necessary, but recent omnibus-style initiatives risk turning Better Regulation into a tool for weakening rules rather than improving their quality. This is especially concerning in areas such as animal welfare, where EU legislation is already outdated and disconnected from both science and citizens’ expectations.
We see animal welfare as a key test case. Although Article 13 TFEU recognises animals as sentient beings, EU law still fails to reflect current scientific knowledge. A modern Better Regulation framework should enable long-overdue progress, rather than lock in inadequate standards under the banner of “simplification”.
In an era of disinformation and growing pressure on science and civil society, Better Regulation must function as a pillar of democratic resilience. The revised framework should strengthen policymaking and uphold high standards for animals, people and the environment, and reaffirm the EU’s commitment to transparency and the public interest.