This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
Protection of farmed animals
Protection of farmed animals
Protection of farmed animals
Protection of farmed animals
SUMMARY OF:
Directive 98/58/EC — protection of animals kept for farming purposes
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DIRECTIVE?
KEY POINTS
Animals
This directive applies to animals (including fish, reptiles and amphibians) reared or kept for the production of food, wool, skin or fur or for other farming purposes. It does not apply to:
To learn more details about specific categories of animals, see also:
Rearing conditions
EU countries must adopt rules to ensure that the owners or keepers of animals look after the welfare of their animals and see that those animals are not caused any unnecessary pain, suffering or injury. Based on past experience and current scientific knowledge, the rearing conditions relate to the following.
Inspections
EU countries must take the necessary steps to ensure that the competent national authorities carry out inspections. They must report on these inspections to the European Commission, which will use the reports to formulate proposals on harmonising inspections.
Evaluation and implementation
Every 5 years, the Commission must report to the Council on the implementation of this directive, with proposals for improvement, if appropriate. The Council adopts this report by qualified majority vote.
EU countries are allowed to keep or introduce stricter provisions.
Official controls regulation
Regulation (EU) 2017/625, the EU’s new legislation on the official controls of human food and animal feed, amends certain minor technical details of the directive. These changes will apply from 14 December 2019.
FROM WHEN DOES THE DIRECTIVE APPLY?
It has applied since 8 August 1998. EU countries had to incorporate it into national law by 31 December 1999.
BACKGROUND
For more information, see:
MAIN DOCUMENT
Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes (OJ L 221, 8.8.1998, pp. 23–27)
Successive amendments to Directive 98/58/EC have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
RELATED DOCUMENTS
Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products, amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 1069/2009, (EC) No 1107/2009, (EU) No 1151/2012, (EU) No 652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 89/608/EEC, 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council Decision 92/438/EEC (Official Controls Regulation) (OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, pp. 1–142)
See consolidated version.
Commission Decision 2006/778/EC of 14 November 2006 concerning minimum requirements for the collection of information during the inspections of production sites on which certain animals are kept for farming purposes (OJ L 314, 15.11.2006, pp. 39–47)
See consolidated version.
last update 13.11.2017