COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2024/2126

of 24 July 2024

on the request for registration, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of the European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘Stop Cruelty Stop Slaughter’

(notified under document C(2024) 5280)

(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 ‘Stop Cruelty Stop Slaughter’ was submitted to the Commission on 5 June 2024.

(2) The aim of the initiative as expressed by the organisers is divided into two objectives calling for: (i) ‘incentives for the production of plant proteins, including plant-based milk and egg substitutes, and for the production of cultivated meat’; and (ii) ‘plans to gradually reduce the number of farm animals at a rate of 50 % of the number of farm animals each year, and to progressively close all animal farms’.

(3) An annex to the initiative provides further details on the subject matter, objectives and background to the initiative. It states that factory farming and slaughterhouses ‘pose a constant threat to public health’ and spread ‘new pandemics and health and hygiene problems’. The organisers consider that ‘[c]losing these places down and using EU funding to incentivise the conversion of existing animal husbandry activities into activities involving plant proteins or cultivated proteins’ would be ‘a valuable tool to prevent new diseases’. The annex also refers to the need ‘for research into increasingly “clean” and “ethical” production of cultivated meat, thereby improving animal welfare and helping to protect the environment and public health’. An additional document providing the same information as the annex has also been submitted by the group of organisers as part of their registration request.

(4) As regards the first objective of the initiative, the Commission could submit a proposal establishing incentives for the production of plant proteins and of cultivated meat on the basis of Article 43(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), as long as such incentives cover products included in Annex I TFEU. The Commission could also submit such a proposal based on Article 114 TFEU, concerning other types of incentives, going beyond agricultural subsidies, insofar as said incentives would aim at improving the functioning of the internal market.

(5) As regards the second objective of the initiative, the Commission could submit a proposal including measures to incentivise a gradual reduction in the number of farm animals, based on Article 43(2) TFEU. The Commission could also submit such a proposal based on Article 168(4) TFEU, provided that the plans would consist in measures in the veterinary and phytosanitary fields that have as their direct objective the protection of public health.

(6) For those reasons, the Commission considers that 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) That conclusion does not affect the assessment of whether the concrete 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 or to the rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

(10) The initiative entitled ‘Stop Cruelty Stop Slaughter’ 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 ‘Stop Cruelty Stop Slaughter’ shall be registered.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the group of organisers of the citizens’ initiative entitled ‘Stop Cruelty Stop Slaughter’, represented by Gabriele BONCI and Zdenek JOUKL acting as contact persons.

Done at Brussels, 24 July 2024.

For the Commission

Věra JOUROVÁ

Vice-President

(1)

OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 55

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/788/oj

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2024/2126/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)