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The Dutch government has approved new measures to progressively improve the welfare of farm animals through 2040. Among the measures specifically planned for the pig sector is the phasing out of tail docking.
The new provisions are part of a General Administrative Measure (AMvB) approved by the Council of Ministers and submitted to Parliament by State Secretary Silvio Erkens of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN). The regulations will apply to dairy and beef cattle, calves, pigs, and chickens, and will establish how these animals must be raised in the future to improve their welfare.
The measures will be introduced gradually through 2040, with each having its own implementation schedule. According to the Dutch government, practical feasibility, economic consequences for livestock farmers, and existing permitting options will be taken into account. Wherever possible, mandatory targets will be set, while leaving farmers the flexibility to decide how to achieve them on their farms.
The new rules will also distinguish between farms with new facilities and those with existing ones. The aim is to ensure that new facilities can meet both emission requirements and animal welfare standards from the moment they are built. For this reason, some provisions will not apply immediately or will allow for longer transition periods.
The Government also deems it necessary to prevent the new requirements from causing production to shift to other countries with lower animal welfare standards. Furthermore, the independent authority for animal-welfare-friendly livestock farming will participate in the assessment of measures requiring such evaluation, analyzing—among other aspects—their practical feasibility.
The transition will also involve supermarkets, food processors, the foodservice sector, and other supply chain operators. By early 2027, the government plans to reach concrete agreements with these stakeholders to promote the marketing of products obtained under higher animal welfare standards and to explore new export markets.
The legislation must now be submitted to Parliament and proceed through the legal process. The initial rules are expected to come into force in 2028, with the various measures implemented in stages through 2040. The source does not specify a precise date for the end of tail docking in pigs.
September 11, 2026/ Rijksoverheid/ The Netherlands.
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/
