AMSTERDAM, 14 JUNE 2023 — The Fur Free Europe Initiative, which ran from May 2022 to March 2023, has been officially submitted to the European Commission, after collecting a total of 1.7 million signatures in just 10 months. Following the verification process, the final count of validated signatures was confirmed at an impressive 1,502,319. The ECI also successfully reached the signatures’ threshold in 18 Member States, almost three times the minimum requirement of seven Member States. This remarkable response from EU citizens highlights the overwhelming demand for a ban on fur farming and the placing on the market of farmed fur products across the European Union.

The Fur Free Europe initiative, jointly led by Eurogroup for Animals and the Fur Free Alliance, has become one of the most successful European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECIs) in the history of the European Union. Fur Free Europe represents the most successful ECI for animal welfare, and the third most successful overall. The overwhelming number of signatures gathered demonstrates the clear desire of EU citizens to see an end to the use of fur.

Joh Vinding, Fur Free Alliance’s chairman, said:

“We are thrilled by the tremendous support and engagement of EU citizens throughout this campaign. The massive response to our initiative sends a powerful message to the European Commission, urging them to take decisive action in favor of banning fur and protecting animal welfare.”

The Fur Free Europe ECI not only highlights the importance of addressing animal welfare concerns, but also emphasizes the need for the EU Commission to consider the public’s demand for change. With 1.5 million validated signatures, it is evident that a significant portion of the European population expects a comprehensive response to this pressing issue.

The joint efforts of Eurogroup for Animals and the Fur Free Alliance have been instrumental in driving the success of the Fur Free Europe initiative. Their collaborative approach has united organizations and individuals committed to promoting ethical treatment of animals and ending the use of fur across Europe.

The ECI organisers will now meet with the European Commission and then attend a public hearing at the European Parliament, after which the European Commission has to publicly respond to the initiative, before the end of the year.