Four years after the launch of the ECI Fur Free Europe, EU citizens are loud and clear: only a ban on fur farms and fur products on the EU market makes ethical, economic and democratic sense.
Dear Honorable Commissioners,
Over the past weeks alone, approximately 200,000 citizens from across the European Union have written directly to members of the College of Commissioners regarding the forthcoming response to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) Fur Free Europe. Their message is clear: European citizens continue to expect a meaningful and credible response that reflects both the scientific evidence and the democratic mandate expressed through the Initiative.
This unprecedented public mobilisation builds on the more than 1.5 million signatures collected by the Fur Free Europe ECI since its launch on 18 May 2022, exactly four years ago. The calls within the ECI are unequivocal: a ban on fur farming and on the placing of farmed fur products on the European market.
The Commission’s Communication in response to the ECI was expected by the end of March 2026, yet it has still not been published. As the Commission finalises its response, it is essential that the Communication transparently reflects the best available evidence and sets out a clear pathway toward phasing out fur farming and the placing of farmed fur products on the European market. Only such an approach would respond meaningfully to the calls of European citizens and uphold European values at global level.
