COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2022/712
of 27 April 2022
on the request for registration of the European citizens’ initiative ‘End The Slaughter Age’ pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council
(notified under document C(2022) 2753)
(Only the Italian text is authentic)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the European citizens’ initiative (1), and in particular Article 6(2) and (3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) A request for registration of a European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘End The Slaughter Age’ was submitted to the Commission on 3 March 2022.
(2) The objectives of the initiative as expressed by the organisers are: ‘(a) the exclusion of livestock farming from activities eligible for agricultural subsidies and the inclusion of ethical and ecological alternatives, such as cell farming and plant proteins and; (b) the introduction of incentives for the production and sale of plant-based and cellular agricultural products’.
(3) An additional document provides further details on the subject matter, objectives and background to the initiative, by setting out and detailing the reasons to support the initiative. The organisers claim that thousands of people working in the animal slaughter and meat processing sectors are faced with terrible and often illegal working conditions. Since animal wellbeing is an important concern for the Union, there is no longer any moral or legal justification to continue slaughtering animals. They further claim that intensification of unsustainable agriculture and increasing demand for animal protein are two major factors contributing to the risk of zoonotic diseases. At the same time, traditional animal rearing is energy and land-intensive and a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. On the basis of the precautionary and polluter pays principles, the organisers claim that a shift of agricultural subsidies from the livestock sector to ecological alternatives, such as cell farming and farming based on plant proteins, is justified. As regards possible incentives for the production and sale of sustainable alternatives, they mention as an example reversing the additional taxation currently levied on plant alternatives compared with animal-based products.
(4) As regards the first objective of the initiative concerning the shift of agricultural subsidies from the livestock sector to ecological alternatives, insofar as these subsidies cover products listed in Annex I of the TFEU, the Commission has the power to submit proposals for legal acts for the pursuit of the objectives of the common agricultural policy on the basis of Article 43(2) TFEU.
(5) As regards the second objective of the initiative asking for the introduction of incentives, in terms of subsidies or similar, for the production and sale of plant-based and cellular agricultural products, the Commission has the power to present proposals for legal acts on the basis of Article 43(2) TFEU insofar as it concerns products listed in Annex I of the TFEU. In addition, inasmuch as the initiative aims to cover also other types of incentives, going beyond agricultural subsidies, the Commission has the power to present proposals for legal acts on the basis of Article 114 TFEU, insofar as they aim at improving the functioning of the internal market.
(6) For those reasons, none of the parts of the initiative manifestly falls outside the framework of the Commission’s powers to submit a proposal for a legal act of the Union for the purpose of implementing the Treaties.
(7) This conclusion is without prejudice to the assessment of whether the concrete factual and substantive conditions required for the Commission to act, including compliance with the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity and compatibility with fundamental rights, would be met in this case.
(8) The group of organisers has provided appropriate evidence that it fulfils the requirements laid down in Article 5(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/788 and has designated the contact persons in accordance with Article 5(3), first subparagraph, of that Regulation.
(9) The initiative is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious, nor is it manifestly contrary to the values of the Union as set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union and rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
(10) The initiative entitled ‘End The Slaughter Age’ should therefore be registered.
(11) The conclusion that the conditions for registration under Article 6(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/788 are fulfilled does not imply that the Commission in any way confirms the factual correctness of the content of the initiative, which is the sole responsibility of the group of organisers of the initiative. The content of the initiative only expresses the views of the group of organisers, and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Commission,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘End The Slaughter Age’ shall be registered.
Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the group of organisers of the citizens’ initiative entitled ‘End The Slaughter Age’, represented by Mr Filippo BORSELLINO and Mr Darryl GRIMA acting as contact persons.
Done at Brussels, 27 April 2022.
For the Commission
Věra JOUROVÁ
Vice-President
(1)
OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 55
.
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