Answer given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the Commission
Council Directive 98/58/EC(1) concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes also applies to fur farming. The directive allows Member States to apply within their territories stricter rules for the protection of animals provided that they are in compliance with the general rules of the EU Treaties. It also reflects the principles stated in the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes(2) of the Council of Europe. A specific recommendation concerning fur animals(3) was adopted under the Convention on 22 June 1999. Both the Convention and the specific Recommendation concerning fur animals are part of Union law.
Member States are primarily responsible for ensuring that EU legislation on fur farming is complied with and have to report to the Commission on the results of the welfare inspections they carried out in fur farms(4).
The EU strategy for the protection and welfare of animals 2012-2015(5) aims at developing a holistic approach focusing on enforcement of the existing legislation. At this stage, the Commission's priority is to ensure in collaboration with Member States appropriate enforcement of the existing EU requirements rather than to ban this production.
See Commission Decision 2006/778/EC of 14.11.2006 concerning minimum requirements for the collection of information during the inspections of production sites on which certain animals are kept for farming purposes (OJ L 314, 15.11.2006, p. 39).