Greece combines one of Europe's most extensive small-ruminant sectors with significant Mediterranean aquaculture and ongoing challenges in enforcement capacity — shaped by economic pressures and a large informal agricultural sector.
Greece has a distinctive agricultural profile within the EU: it has the second-largest sheep population in the EU (after the UK) and the largest goat population, predominantly raised in extensive systems on Mediterranean island and mountain landscapes. At the same time, Greece has growing intensive poultry production and one of Europe's most significant Mediterranean aquaculture sectors. Economic pressures following the Greek financial crisis (2010-2018) constrained enforcement capacity, but recovery and EU funding have supported gradual improvement.
Greece's massive sheep and goat sector is predominantly extensive — animals graze mountainous and semi-arid landscapes on the mainland and islands, managed by traditional shepherds often using seasonal transhumance. This system provides genuine welfare advantages:
Greek sheep and goats produce feta cheese (PDO — one of Greece's most important agricultural exports), yogurt, and lamb/kid meat. The PDO system reinforces traditional, often higher-welfare, production methods.
Greece is one of the EU's leading Mediterranean aquaculture producers, primarily of European seabass (lavraki) and gilt-head seabream (tsipura) in sea cage systems, plus mussels and clams. Greek aquaculture companies are among Europe's largest producers of these species, with significant export volumes to Italy, Spain, and Northern Europe.
Welfare standards for farmed marine fish in Greek aquaculture are improving but remain less developed than for land animals. Key welfare concerns include:
Greek aquaculture companies are increasingly engaged with welfare improvement programs, partly driven by export market retailer requirements in Germany, France, and the UK.
Greece's broiler sector follows EU minimum welfare standards. The Greek Orthodox tradition of consuming specific meats during religious periods creates seasonal demand spikes that can create welfare stress in supply chains. The cage-free egg transition is advancing — approximately 28% of Greek eggs are now from non-cage systems, driven by supermarket chain AB Vassilopoulos, Sklavenitis, and Lidl Greece commitments.
Greece's large informal agricultural sector — smallholder sheep, goat, and pig operations, particularly on islands — creates enforcement challenges similar to Romania. The financial crisis years (2010-2018) significantly constrained veterinary inspection capacity. Recovery funding has partially restored inspection capability, but coverage of small and remote farms remains limited.
Like Romania and Serbia, Greece has a significant stray dog and cat population, particularly in cities and tourist areas. Greece's approach has historically involved mixed strategies including municipal shelters, sterilization programs, and informal TNR (trap-neuter-return) practices. A 2021 law strengthened sterilization and registration requirements, but implementation across municipalities remains uneven.