Animal Welfare and Trade Policy: Maintaining Standards in Global Trade

Overview of animal welfare in international trade agreements and policy coherence challenges.

Key Facts

Free trade agreements can undermine welfare standards through market competition from lower-standard producers
UK post-Brexit trade deals have faced scrutiny over animal welfare standard maintenance
EU trade policy increasingly includes animal welfare conditionality
Consumer awareness of import welfare standards is growing as a campaign focus
Equivalence clauses in trade agreements determine whether standards are genuinely maintained

Welfare Considerations

Animal welfare in trade policy requires ensuring that market access for lower-welfare products does not undermine domestic welfare standards achieved through regulation and consumer pressure. Post-Brexit UK trade deals have faced intense scrutiny over animal welfare conditionality. EU trade policy is developing more robust welfare conditionality requirements. Consumer campaign focus on trade welfare issues has increased. Policy coherence between domestic welfare ambition and trade openness is a key advocacy challenge.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for animal welfare conditionality in international trade agreements
Engage with consultations on trade agreements and welfare standard maintenance
Follow Compassion in World Farming for trade policy welfare advocacy