International frameworks for animal welfare — from CITES to OIE standards to regional agreements — create the legal architecture within which national policies operate. Understanding these frameworks guides effective global advocacy.
International animal welfare governance is both important and chronically underresourced. The frameworks that exist — WOAH standards, CITES protections, EU regulations — have demonstrable positive effects on animal welfare in countries and sectors where they apply and are enforced. The critical weaknesses are: voluntary compliance with international standards, uneven enforcement capacity, and the exclusion of most wild animals and fish from existing frameworks. The EU's use of trade agreements to export welfare standards is a significant development — countries wanting access to the EU market must meet EU welfare standards for exported products. This "Brussels effect" has driven welfare improvements in trading partner countries beyond what domestic regulation would have achieved. Strengthening international welfare governance requires both better standards and better enforcement mechanisms.