Once considered ‘soft gold’ due to its value being comparable to precious metals, and worn only by the elite as a symbol of wealth and aristocracy, animal fur now stands as a symbol of cruelty in the name of fashion.

But the EU may soon seek to close this chapter. The Commission is poised to take a final position on fur farming this March, following years of pressure to end the practice and the placing of farmed fur products on the EU market.

Launched in March 2022, the European Citizens’ Initiative “Fur Free Europe” collected more than 1.5 million signatures a year later, enough to trigger the Commission to undertake a formal assessment of the proposal.

A dying industry

With the deadline for a final response approaching, animal welfare activists say they now have robust data at hand, as the fur farming industry is in rapid decline not only in Europe but also globally.

EU production has fallen by 86 per cent over the past decade to 6.3 million animals in 2024, while global fur production has dropped from approximately 140 million animals in 2014 to roughly 20 million by 2025 – a decline of nearly 85 per cent.

Despite this contraction, and although more than 20 countries have implemented bans, around 1,000 fur farms remain active across Europe, with Finland a major producer of fox fur and Poland a significant producer of mink. Poland, however, adopted a ban on the practice in December.

Growing discontent

Momentum is building across Europe, with new data suggesting strong public backing for an EU-wide ban. Among more than 18,000 respondents surveyed across 18 EU countries, 65 per cent supported ending fur farming.

Striking results also emerged in countries where fur farming is still practised. In Finland, 62 per cent of respondents supported a ban; in Greece, 58 per cent; and in Spain, 74 per cent.

Support for stricter measures extends beyond a general ban. According to the same survey, 71 per cent of respondents back prohibiting the use of cages for fur farming in the EU, while only 10 per cent oppose it.

Clear message

Members of the Fur Free Alliance (FFA) were joined by MEPs in Brussels on 23 February to amplify calls for a ban on fur farming and the fur trade, rejecting the industry’s proposal for “minimum welfare standards”.

Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane World for Animals, said: “It would be unforgivable if the Commission adopted ‘welfare standards’. This would prioritise the profits of the cruel and dying fur industry over the wishes of EU citizens and the principle of protecting animal welfare.”

“The fur industry exists solely to supply the frivolous demands of fashion, subjecting millions of animals to miserable lives and horrible deaths in the process. The idea that so-called welfare standards could ever make this animal abuse acceptable is not only insulting, but also flies in the face of the scientific opinion delivered last year by EFSA,” she said.

The action outside the Berlaymont building – featuring mobile LED screens mounted on bikes and vehicles, alongside banners and placards – also included Mike Moser, former CEO of the British Fur Trade Association, who now campaigns against the sector.

Letter to Várhelyi

A few days earlier, an event in Rome discussed the economic unsustainability of the European fur industry, with participants including Italian MEPs Cristina Guarda, Carolina Morace and Brando Benifei, as well as Rome city councillor Daniele Diaco.

Together with other Members of the European Parliament, they signed an open letter to Health and Animal Welfare Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, urging him to commit to strengthening animal welfare and protecting citizens’ health.

The MEPs described the fur industry as “a marginal sector with no future prospects”, noting that it accounts for less than 0.003 per cent of EU employment, while raising concerns about ethical, public health and environmental risks.

Commission under fire

Amid mounting pressure for a full ban, Várhelyi and the Commission have recently faced criticism from several animal welfare organisations, which allege disproportionate engagement with industry representatives.

On behalf of the ECI, three organisations have filed a complaint with the European Ombudsman, asking it to assess whether the Commission has breached the principle of political equality and balanced stakeholder engagement.

They claim the Commission held three workshops with fur industry representatives, failed to provide details or minutes from those meetings when requested, and did not respond to a meeting request submitted to Várhelyi on behalf of the ECI.

Problem (un)solved

If the Commission confirms a ban, the next challenge will be implementation. The scope of any measure – whether limited to production or extended to imports – will determine whether the bloc reduces animal suffering or simply shifts it beyond its borders.

Any proposal will need to balance animal welfare objectives with legal certainty and practical enforceability, ensuring that the measure is both coherent across the Single Market and resilient to potential legal challenge.

With the end-of-March deadline approaching, the decision will test not only the Commission’s commitment to animal welfare, but also its willingness to translate public mobilisation into concrete regulatory action.

[BM]