More and more countries in the European Union are ending fur farming. Contrary to a recent claim by Agriculture Minister Michael Creed that only "a small number of member states have imposed bans on fur farming", the reality is that so far, there are full or partial fur farm bans or a phasing out of fur farming in nearly half of the EU states. FULL FUR FARMING BANS Belgium: The latest EU nation to announce a ban. The Flemish Government this month approved a decree that will make fur farming illegal from 1st December 2023. England and Wales: Fur farming banned in 2000 Scotland: Fur farming banned in 2002 Northern Ireland: Fur farming banned in 2002 under the Fur Farming (Prohibition) (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 Austria: Fur farming banned in 2004 Croatia: A ban came into effect in 2018 after a 10-year phase-out Czech Republic: In August 2017, the Czech Republic approved a ban on fur farming which will come into effect in 2019 Luxembourg: A law was passed in June 2018 that outlaws fur farming entirely from October 2018 Netherlands: Adopted a mink fur ban in 2012 and will phase out mink fur farming entirely by 2024 Slovenia: Banned fur farming in March 2013 with a three year phase-out for existing farms PARTIAL FUR FARMING BANS Denmark: Mink fur farming continues but from 2023, fox fur farming will be banned. FUR FARMING PHASED OUT DUE TO STRICTER REGULATIONS Sweden: Mink fur farming continues but fox fur farming has been phased-out following the introduction of animal welfare requirements stating that foxes could only be kept in such a way that they can be active, dig and socialise with other foxes. This effectively rendered fox farming economically unviable in Sweden. Chinchilla fur farming was also phased out. Germany: In 2017, German politicians voted for stricter regulations that will bring fur farming to an end. Germany had adopted new regulations for fur farming in 2009, which required increased cage space for animals. The regulations also require the provision of swimming water for mink and an area for foxes and raccoon dogs to be able to dig. Fur farms would no longer be economically viable when complying with these regulations and therefore all German fur farms are expected to close down in 2023, after a 5-year phase-out period. Spain: In 2015, Spain adopted stricter regulations to prevent ecological damage of escaping mink from fur farms. Spain no longer allows new mink fur farms to be built. Similar legislation led Japan to close down its last fur farm in 2016. Poland: Proposed legislation to prohibit fur farming is currently being considered. Bulgaria: 3 fur farms remain. On June 22 this year, 51,234 signatures were submitted to the Bulgarian Parliament by the National Citizens’ Initiative which is pushing for an amendment to the current legislation to “forbid the raising, killing and trade of animals for fur production in the Republic of Bulgaria”. The remaining 14 countries in the EU - Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia - sadly continue to allow fur farming but campaigns to secure bans are ongoing. Sources of information: https://www.furfreealliance.com/fur-bans/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fur_farming ACTION ALERT Please contact your TDs and urge them to support Solidarity's upcoming Prohibition of Fur Farming Bill 2018. Contact details for TDs can be found at https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/32 Also get in touch with the political parties to urge them to back the bill - find contact details at http://www.banbloodsports.com/parties.htm Find out more about Solidarity's Bill at https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/videos/1750869355028615/ Join us in urging Minister Michael Creed and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to put in place a long overdue ban on fur farming. Email "Ban fur farming NOW" to Leo.Varadkar@oir.ie, michael.creed@oir.ie, taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, AnimalHealthAndWelfareAct@agriculture.gov.ie Tel: +353 (0)1 6194000 (Leo Varadkar) Tel: 01-607 2000 or LoCall 1890-200510 (Michael Creed) Tweet: @campaignforleo @creedcnw Ban fur farming NOW Comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/campaignforleo/ https://www.facebook.com/michaelcreedtd VIDEOS ICABS footage - Victims of Ireland's cruel far farming https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=artr7qwCLLk&index=2&list=PL43C1F00F38986C68 NARA footage showing caged mink in a fur farm in Donegal https://www.facebook.com/NARAcampaignsIRELAND/videos/1694193503937318/ Mink pulled from cages and thrown into gassing box https://youtu.be/m52k4aPXahU?t=3m6s