EU Says Catching Poultry by Legs Not Banned
The European Commission clarified that Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 does not absolutely prohibit catching poultry by the legs, as a 2023 proposal to repeal it is examined.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Law
The European Commission stated that Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 does not absolutely prohibit catching poultry by the legs. Only the Court of Justice of the European Union can authoritatively interpret EU law, and Member States bear primary responsibility for enforcing animal welfare rules.
Why it matters
The clarification addresses uncertainty over how poultry may be handled during catching and transport across the European Union. A 2023 Commission proposal to repeal Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 is currently being examined by co-legislators and would make catching by the legs permitted under defined conditions.
EFSA recommends catching, lifting and carrying birds by 2 legs, with no more than 3 birds per hand and minimised inversion time. The 2023 Commission proposal remains under examination, and the source does not specify its adoption timeline.
The players
European Commission
The executive body of the European Union responsible for proposing legislation and ensuring EU law is applied across Member States.
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
The EU agency that provides independent scientific advice on food and animal welfare, including the 2022 opinion on poultry in containers.
Court of Justice of the European Union
The EU's highest judicial body, which holds sole authority to give binding interpretations of EU law.
The details
Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, adopted on 22 December 2004, governs protection of animals during transport. EFSA's 2022 scientific opinion on domestic birds in containers recommends training catchers and specific handling measures, while the Commission verifies that national control systems apply the rules consistently across Member States.
Timeline
22 December 2004: Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 adopted on protection of animals during transport.
30 June 2022: EFSA issues scientific opinion on welfare of domestic birds transported in containers.
2023: Commission issues legislative proposal to repeal Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.
Legal Context
Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, adopted in 2004, is the EU's current framework for animal transport welfare, and the Commission's 2023 proposal would repeal it with clearer rules on catching poultry by the legs. The clarification shows the existing text is being read as permitting the practice rather than banning it outright.
Poultry handling practices in the EU depend on whether catching by the legs is treated as banned or permitted under the current rules. Until co-legislators act on the 2023 proposal, the existing regulation's ambiguity leaves enforcement largely to Member States.
The takeaway
Clarity on whether poultry can be caught by the legs depends on the outcome of the 2023 repeal proposal now under review. Readers following animal welfare rules should watch how co-legislators define the permitted conditions.
Further reading
For background on how EU rules are interpreted and enforced, see Law.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Temas | Parlamento Europeo.
