The Principle of Animal Welfare in the EU and Its Influence in Japan and the World

Abstract

Measures on animal welfare have been developed since the 1970s, influenced by the European Conventions of the Council of Europe. While many measures on animal welfare have been adopted, there is no legal basis for animal welfare itself. The principle of animal welfare that considers animal welfare in formulating and implementing the Union’s policy, including common agricultural and internal market policy, is laid down in the declaration annexed to the Maastricht Treaty and now in Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) after the Treaty of Lisbon, which is a provision of the general application. One of the EU measures on animal welfare is related to animal testing. The absolute ban on the marketing of cosmetic products based on animal testing from 11 March 2013 influenced the policies of Japanese companies. Furthermore, legislation regarding trade in seal products has affected third countries and has been contested at the World Trade Organization (WTO) level. Animal welfare is globally considered as public moral issue.