On Thursday, the Intergroup will meet to discuss the European Investment Bank Group’s updated Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework and the impact this can have on animal welfare. As an important step towards sustainable financing, all projects financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) must comply with EU animal welfare standards, as now stated in the Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework (ESSF). 

Jennifer Black, Campaign Manager Europe, World Animal Protection, will address the Intergroup on the need for coherence concerning the discrepancy  between policies and money flows into intensive livestock farming. 

In theory the consideration of an animal welfare indicator in the ESSF ought to drive funding for more sustainable projects, in particular from an animal welfare and environmental point of view. This is in line with the Farm to Fork Strategy setting up the agricultural framework of the European Green Deal. However, the updated ESSF still has not fully acknowledged the link between animal welfare, intensive agriculture, climate change and biodiversity crisis. Stronger commitments from the EIB Group are needed.

The Intention of Thursday’s session is to induce a debate concerning the opportunities available via the EIB to improve animal welfare standards in livestock farming. We will also be joined by MEP David Cormand, who was the Rapporteur for the Opinion on the financial activities of the European Investment Bank – annual report.