Call for evidence for the scientific opinion on the welfare of animals kept for fur production - Foxes
EFSA-Q-number: EFSA-Q-2023-00869
Published: 01/03/2024
Deadline for submission of evidence: 19/04/2024
Background
Animal welfare is an important part of EFSA's remit. The EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) plays a pivotal role in evaluating various factors related to farmed animals, including their housing and management, transport, and stunning and killing methods.
In response to the "Fur Free Europe" European Citizens' Initiative, the European Commission has tasked EFSA with issuing a scientific opinion concerning the welfare of animals bred for fur production. This opinion, anticipated for adoption in March 2025 under the mandate M-2023-00148, aims to assess the welfare conditions of mink, foxes, raccoon dogs, and chinchillas for fur production. assess the welfare conditions of mink, foxes, raccoon dogs, and chinchillas for fur production.
EFSA's objective is to comprehensively review existing scientific literature and additional resources to provide a robust scientific foundation regarding the welfare of these animals. This effort supports the European Commission's consideration of potential policy measures in response to the citizens' initiative.
On January 22, 2024, EFSA hosted a stakeholder meeting in Brussels, marking a significant step in its renewed approach to engaging with stakeholders on animal welfare issues. This meeting offered participants an overview of EFSA's ongoing animal welfare initiatives. It fostered a technical dialogue concerning the current evidence and information sources that could contribute to EFSA's scientific advice on the welfare of animals kept for fur production.
EFSA launches this public call for all potentially relevant available evidence (published, unpublished or newly generated evidence) from interested parties to ensure a comprehensive assessment. EFSA will then consider the relevance of the information provided for the risk assessment. Submitting the requested information is without prejudice to the final opinion of the AHAW Panel.
Overall Objective
The purpose of this call for evidence is to offer interested parties (e.g., fur farming operators, national authorities, research institutions, academia) and/or other stakeholders, the opportunity to submit documented information (published and/or unpublished) relevant to the welfare of foxes:
- Red fox (Vulpes vulpes also known as 'grey fox')
- Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus, previously classified as Alopex lagopus also known as 'blue fox')
Including their hybrids kept for fur production. The call for evidence encompasses all categories of animals involved in fur production, including breeding animals, juveniles, and those (growing animals) being raised specifically for pelting purposes. It is important to note that killing for pelting falls outside the scope of this mandate.
Specific objectives
- Specific Objective 1: Open questions
EFSA is looking for information on specific aspects of the biology, farm practices, breeding and reproduction of Red and Arctic foxes and their hybrids, as listed in Annex A.
In your submissions, we kindly request that you detail the sources of your information within Annex A or throughout your documents, as appropriate. Please provide references to the origin of your evidence wherever possible, including but not limited to scientific literature, books, technical reports, and industry reports. Additionally, we encourage the citation of unpublished evidence or industry/field evidence where relevant. This level of documentation is critical for ensuring the credibility and verifiability of the information provided, thereby enhancing the robustness of our assessment process.
- Specific Objective 2: Housing conditions
EFSA is looking for information on the current housing conditions of Red and Arctic foxes and their hybrids kept for fur production during all stages of the production cycle.
In Annex B, there is a template with the main features requested for foxes. Please insert your information directly into the file when possible. You can also include additional information by uploading additional files. Please specify, in Annex B and in all your documents, the source of your information by providing any reference when possible (including, but not limited to, scientific literature, book, technical report, industry report) and/or refer to unpublished evidence or industry/field evidence when applicable. This level of documentation is critical for ensuring the credibility and verifiability of the information provided, thereby enhancing the robustness of our assessment process.
- Specific Objective 3: Welfare assessment protocols
EFSA is looking for information related to the use of welfare assessment protocols in foxes intended for fur production.
EFSA is particularly looking for:
- Any protocol that is used for assessing the welfare of foxes on farm.
- Data available and recorded within the application of a specific protocol. Raw or non-aggregated data is especially welcomed.
Please specify, in your submitted documents, the source of your information by providing any reference when possible (including, but not limited to, scientific literature, book, technical report, and industry report) and/or refer to unpublished data or industry/field data when applicable. This level of documentation is critical for ensuring the credibility and verifiability of the information provided, thereby enhancing the robustness of our assessment process.
Evidence sought and evidence submission format
EFSA kindly invites interested parties to submit information for each specific objective as outlined below.
Specific Objective 1 (Open questions)
To submit evidence in the context of specific Objective 1 you are invited to complete the designated Word document available on the EFSA webpage dedicated to this call (Annex A). This document features a series of questions curated to gather information deemed crucial for the objectives of this mandate.
In addition to these structured questionnaires, you are welcome to submit further details in the form of complete study reports or publications/reports that are currently under preparation, especially if they include newly generated evidence.
Specific objective 2 (Housing conditions)
To submit evidence in the context of specific Objectives 2 please fill in the Word file on the EFSA webpage of this call (Annex B). Please compile one for each species if relevant. This Word file contains the parameters of housing needed for the purpose of the mandate.
You can also submit additional information in the form of:
- full study reports
- articles or reports under preparation (newly generated evidence)
Specific objective 3 (Welfare assessment protocol)
To submit evidence in the context of specific Objective 3, please submit per each species:
- Technical description of the welfare assessment protocol
- Raw data in the form of Excel or csv file
- Any other relevant information
Deadlines for submission of data and disclosure of contact details
Interested parties and stakeholders should provide by 19/04/2024 the information described below.
To facilitate the collaboration of all interested parties to provide the evidence needed, we are seeking your consent to disclose the name and address of your organisation/business to the other parties that have expressed an interest to provide the requested information. If you do not wish to make these contact details available, clearly indicate it in your first communication.
Confidentiality
According to Article 39 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, EFSA shall not divulge to third parties confidential information received for which confidential treatment has been requested and justified, except for information which must be made public if circumstances require, in order to protect public health. It follows that confidential treatment may be given by EFSA to information the disclosure of which might significantly harm the competitive position of business operators or other interested parties.
Submission of information/evidence
Interested business operators and/or parties should submit the information/data in electronic format exclusively via the tool Submission Builder "Portalino" (available here).
Submission of evidence in any other form (email, third party e-submission platforms, etc) will not be accepted.
Information on how to use Portalino and submit confidentiality requests are available online here. This user guide provides information about the submission of dossiers and evidence via Portalino. As such, it should be read together with the User Guide on Confidentiality.
Interested business operators and/or interested parties should submit the following information to EFSA via Portalino, clearly stating:
- In the Subject of the submission: Call for evidence animals for fur production FOXES - EFSA-Q-2023-00869
- The contact details (name of contact person, name of company/organisation, e-mail address and telephone number) of the person responsible for the evidence submission and, if applicable, the list of interested business operators and/or interested parties represented and their contact details
- If applicable, two separate versions (confidential and non-confidential) of the submitted information/evidence, as indicated here. Each section claimed confidential must be accompanied by a confidentiality request in Portalino. You are also required to box or earmark each information/passage claimed confidential in the confidential version of the information you share with EFSA.
Please note that confidentiality requests must be submitted if information should be kept confidential since EFSA is required to proactively publish all information, documents and evidence it receives without delay, pursuant to Article 38(1)(c) / 38(1)(d) of the GFL and Article 6(1) of EFSA's Practical Arrangements of transparency and confidentiality.
Please note that EFSA may use or re-use the provided evidence for risk assessment of animals kept for fur production under the same or other legal or regulatory frameworks.
Correspondence
Please address any technical enquiries to RAL [at] efsa.europa.eu, ensuring to put “call for evidence on fur animals” in the header of the email.
Should you require assistance when filling in the Word files, submitting additional information, or have specific questions on how to send the evidence, please contact RAL [at] efsa.europa.eu, ensuring to put “call for evidence on fur animals” in the header of the email.