Brexit and Animal Welfare Impact Assessment: Analysis of the Threats Brexit Poses to Animal Protection in the UK, EU and Internationally
The British people voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the European Union (EU). Brexit presents both threats and opportunities to animal protection in the United Kingdom (UK), EU and internationally. This paper discusses threats to animal protection in terms of five criteria. These are first, politi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-03-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/3/117 |
| _version_ | 1811275998308597760 |
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| author | Steven P. McCulloch |
| author_facet | Steven P. McCulloch |
| author_sort | Steven P. McCulloch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The British people voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the European Union (EU). Brexit presents both threats and opportunities to animal protection in the United Kingdom (UK), EU and internationally. This paper discusses threats to animal protection in terms of five criteria. These are first, political context; second, regulatory changes; third, economic and trade factors; fourth, institutional and capacity-related factors; and fifth, EU and international considerations. The EU has the most progressive animal welfare laws in the world. The Conservative Government delivering Brexit has a mixed record on animal protection. Major time and resource constraints inherent in Brexit risk negatively impacting animal protection. Brexit is projected to have a negative economic impact, which is generally associated with lower animal welfare standards. The development of Brexit policy suggests there to be a substantial risk that the major threat of importing lower welfare products to the UK will materialise. Brexit will reduce the political influence of the progressive animal protection lobby in the EU. Post-Brexit, the politically and economically weakened EU and UK risks a detrimental impact on animal protection on an international scale. Brexit poses substantial threats to animal protection, with a high risk that many threats will materialise. Further research is needed to assess the opportunities presented by Brexit to judge whether Brexit will be overall positive or negative for animal protection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T23:48:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ebbab371a2a6440da1fc08dc70465045 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T23:48:35Z |
| publishDate | 2019-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-ebbab371a2a6440da1fc08dc704650452022-12-22T03:11:48ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152019-03-019311710.3390/ani9030117ani9030117Brexit and Animal Welfare Impact Assessment: Analysis of the Threats Brexit Poses to Animal Protection in the UK, EU and InternationallySteven P. McCulloch0Department of Politics and Society, University of Winchester, Winchester SO22 4NR, UKThe British people voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the European Union (EU). Brexit presents both threats and opportunities to animal protection in the United Kingdom (UK), EU and internationally. This paper discusses threats to animal protection in terms of five criteria. These are first, political context; second, regulatory changes; third, economic and trade factors; fourth, institutional and capacity-related factors; and fifth, EU and international considerations. The EU has the most progressive animal welfare laws in the world. The Conservative Government delivering Brexit has a mixed record on animal protection. Major time and resource constraints inherent in Brexit risk negatively impacting animal protection. Brexit is projected to have a negative economic impact, which is generally associated with lower animal welfare standards. The development of Brexit policy suggests there to be a substantial risk that the major threat of importing lower welfare products to the UK will materialise. Brexit will reduce the political influence of the progressive animal protection lobby in the EU. Post-Brexit, the politically and economically weakened EU and UK risks a detrimental impact on animal protection on an international scale. Brexit poses substantial threats to animal protection, with a high risk that many threats will materialise. Further research is needed to assess the opportunities presented by Brexit to judge whether Brexit will be overall positive or negative for animal protection.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/3/117animal healthanimal welfareanimal welfare impact assessmentanimal protection policyBrexitCommon Agricultural PolicyConservative PartyEuropean UnionLabour PartyWorld Trade Organisation |
| spellingShingle | Steven P. McCulloch Brexit and Animal Welfare Impact Assessment: Analysis of the Threats Brexit Poses to Animal Protection in the UK, EU and Internationally Animals animal health animal welfare animal welfare impact assessment animal protection policy Brexit Common Agricultural Policy Conservative Party European Union Labour Party World Trade Organisation |
| title | Brexit and Animal Welfare Impact Assessment: Analysis of the Threats Brexit Poses to Animal Protection in the UK, EU and Internationally |
| title_full | Brexit and Animal Welfare Impact Assessment: Analysis of the Threats Brexit Poses to Animal Protection in the UK, EU and Internationally |
| title_fullStr | Brexit and Animal Welfare Impact Assessment: Analysis of the Threats Brexit Poses to Animal Protection in the UK, EU and Internationally |
| title_full_unstemmed | Brexit and Animal Welfare Impact Assessment: Analysis of the Threats Brexit Poses to Animal Protection in the UK, EU and Internationally |
| title_short | Brexit and Animal Welfare Impact Assessment: Analysis of the Threats Brexit Poses to Animal Protection in the UK, EU and Internationally |
| title_sort | brexit and animal welfare impact assessment analysis of the threats brexit poses to animal protection in the uk eu and internationally |
| topic | animal health animal welfare animal welfare impact assessment animal protection policy Brexit Common Agricultural Policy Conservative Party European Union Labour Party World Trade Organisation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/3/117 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stevenpmcculloch brexitandanimalwelfareimpactassessmentanalysisofthethreatsbrexitposestoanimalprotectionintheukeuandinternationally |