Brussels is considering a crackdown on Europe’s tiger kings.
EU agriculture ministers will discuss on Tuesday whether to ban the trade and possession of alien species such as tigers, alligators or chimpanzees, following the proposal of a new European law by Cyprus, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Malta.
In a joint document, the countries call for a “concise catalog of animals that can be kept as pets, providing clarity for pet owners and government officials.” The sale and possession of any species not on this list would automatically be prohibited throughout the bloc.
The newspaper estimates that Europeans privately keep around 100 million pets that are neither dogs nor cats. “Many of these species have been taken from the wild, depleting natural populations and leading to loss of biodiversity,” it reads.
While the move is likely to be welcomed by animal welfare campaigners, it will raise concerns among tiger kings across the EU: according to animal welfare group Four Paws, private breeding of tigers is legal in countries like Germany, France, Spain, Ireland and the United States. Czech republic.
This article is part of POLITICO Pro
The one-stop solution for policy professionals fusing the depth of POLITICO journalism with the power of technology
Exclusive and never-before-seen scoops and ideas
Personalized Policy Intelligence Platform
A high-level public affairs network
politico Gt