9 November 2023 – Last week saw discussions between the European Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, and Australia’s Minister for Trade, Don Farrell, come to an abrupt halt. Mainly differences concerning quotas in the agricultural sector and disagreements towards welfare for farmed animals led to no agreement and both parties returning home empty-handed.  

Global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS underlines the importance of key improvements in animal welfare, amongst others the phase-out of the cruel mutilation of lambs called mulesing. 

“It was reported that negotiations mainly came to a standstill because of disagreements for the access of Australian beef, mutton and lamb to the EU market, which has – in comparison to Australia – strong regulations”, says Rebecca Picallo Gil, FOUR PAWS farmed animal campaigner. 

“This is not surprising when considering the legal practices still allowed in Australian animal agriculture, practices which are banned in the EU.”  

These include:  

Use of feedlots: 96% of Australian beef exported to Europe comes from feedlots. 

Transport: Australia's rules allow live transport up to 48hs without food/water. 

Slaughter: Australia's poor animal welfare rules permit the use of practices such as the use of electronic prodders. 

Lack of use of pain relief. 

Widespread use of mulesing in Australian wool industry, one of the most invasive routine mutilations of farmed animals globally.   

New video footage was released during a sitting in Victoria’s parliament last week shows that even if sheep are given pain relief, the animals are screaming in pain.  

“Since next year will see elections in the European Parliament, chances to find an agreement for the Free Trade agreement before that are close to zero. FOUR PAWS will continue to advocate against mulesing because pain-free alternatives are available and can save millions of lambs from this severe suffering if taken up,” Picallo Gil concludes. 

FOUR PAWS is working with fellow animal protection organisations including Eurogroup for Animals on the FTA deal, highlighting these key issues so animal protection remains a key issue. 

Background Free Trade Agreement 

The negotiations around the EU-Australia Trade Agreement started on 18 June 2018. The agreement seeks to remove barriers between the markets, improve market access on both sides, promote and enforce intellectual property rights and to introduce ambitious provisions on trade and sustainable development, showing a shared commitment to labour rights and environmental protection with reference to the climate crisis. 

FOUR PAWS has further intensified its efforts to have the FTA consider the issue of mulesing since Italy is the second biggest importer of Australian wool. 

FOUR PAWS against mulesing 

FOUR PAWS recently documented the rising anti-mulesing brand movement (currently over 400 global brands) and nearly 80 brands are taking a step further and calling out the Australian wool industry directly to ask for a phase out of mulesing by 2030 in this open letter.  

Despite the growing number of Australian mulesing-free growers, which amount to more than 3,000, FOUR PAWS has released individual grower case studies I, II and an economic report gathering insights of Australian wool growers who have successfully transitioned to flystrike resistant sheep breeding and management within only three to five years ending flystrike and mulesing.  

The industry needs to take measures now and support growers to switch to pain-free alternatives to meet market demands and end mulesing by 2030.