Politics

The Albert Schweitzer Foundation advocates for better welfare of farmed animals at the political level. As an independent, non-profit organization, we work to fundamentally improve the relevant legal framework – both in Germany and on the European level. Through our lobbying efforts in Brussels and Berlin, we drive structural change that will gradually reduce the suffering of billions of animals.

In Germany, we engage in regular exchange with political decision-makers in parliament, ministries, and public administrations. We contribute science-based input and concrete reform proposals to legislative processes, participate in public consultations, and provide impetus for the consistent implementation of existing animal welfare regulations. We believe in the power of dialog – our approach is objective, solution-oriented, and open to compromise, but also clear and determined when it comes to addressing deficiencies and reform backlogs. Restructuring animal agriculture toward improved husbandry systems is our national priority.

At the EU level, we work together with partner organizations – especially as a member of Eurogroup for Animals – to modernize and harmonize animal welfare legislation. The European Union has a major influence on the husbandry of so-called farm animals in the member states, particularly through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), EU animal welfare provisions, and the internal market. Through our advocacy work in Brussels, we bring the interests of animals into the relevant legislative processes. In doing so, we call for an ambitious shift toward an ethical, sustainable, and future-proof agricultural system.

Our political advocacy is grounded in facts, legal expertise, and a strong ethical compass. We give animals a voice – in a system where their interests are all too often ignored.

What We Call For

• Binding husbandry standards for all farmed animals in Germany and the EU, based on scientific knowledge of animal behavior and fundamentally correcting existing deficiencies in animal agriculture. This includes, for example, the abolition of particularly cruel systems such as tethering, caging, or gestation crates.

• Consistent enforcement and monitoring of existing animal welfare provisions.

• Financial support for farmers willing to transition to husbandry systems that better align with societal expectations regarding animal treatment.

• Mandatory, government-issued husbandry labeling for all animal products in Germany – and eventually in the EU as well.

• A reorientation of agricultural subsidies within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) so that animal welfare is effectively integrated into the necessary transformation of European agriculture toward better climate and environmental protection.

• Legal recognition and inclusion of the needs of fish and other aquatic animals in animal welfare legislation.