The EU supports bullfighting with billions of euros

Økologisk Nu
The EU supports bullfighting with billions of euros

There are several reasons to skip a visit to the bullfighting arena if your holiday trip is to Spain, France, or Portugal, which are the only countries in Europe where bullfighting is still permitted. According to World Animal Protection Denmark, a larger number of bulls are killed each year to entertain tourists and local enthusiasts of the bloody tradition, which, according to the animal welfare organization, is partly kept alive through EU agricultural subsidies. Based on the most commonly used industry figures from the Spanish industry organization for breeders of fighting bulls - Union de Criadores de Toros Lidia - Spanish breeders of fighting bulls receive about 1.5 billion Danish kroner annually through the EU's common agricultural support, the animal welfare organization states in a press release. However, no one can precisely determine the amount that funds thousands of bullfighting festivals each year. This is because the support is embedded in the EU's general agricultural schemes and is not listed separately, according to World Animal Protection Denmark, which has surveyed Danes via YouGov about their attitudes towards bullfighting. The responses show that only 8% of Danish citizens are aware that Southern European farmers receive EU support to breed fighting bulls, while 80% say they oppose their tax money being used for such purposes. "When Danes discover that their tax money indirectly supports an industry where animals are bred for bullfighting, they react very clearly. It's not just about breaking with cultural traditions, but primarily about ensuring that the EU's animal welfare policy is both consistent and credible. You can't, on the one hand, talk about high animal welfare and, on the other, finance the breeding of animals bred for entertainment where suffering is a prerequisite," says Gitte Buchhave, director of World Animal Protection Denmark. Tax money should not support animal cruelty. According to Niels Fuglsang (S), a member of the European Parliament and chairman of the Parliament's cross-party animal welfare group, it is currently impossible to get a clear answer on how many EU funds actually end up with breeders of fighting bulls: "It is a major democratic problem that neither citizens nor elected representatives can get full insight into how much EU money goes to breeding fighting bulls. The Commission simply says they do not have figures on it because it is part of hectare support. The lack of transparency makes it difficult to conduct an honest political debate about how taxpayers' money is being used," says Niels Fuglsang, adding: "If it were up to me, bullfighting would be completely banned. But a first step on the way should be that tax money at least does not support animal cruelty." A gap in EU animal welfare policy. The lack of transparency means that the most credible figure on support for fighting bulls comes from the Spanish breeders' own industry organization. They have pointed out that breeders would lose 200 million euros annually if they did not receive help through EU agricultural support. "It is a gap in European animal welfare policy that is becoming increasingly difficult for the EU to explain—both politically and morally. The policy must apply everywhere—and to all animals. It is absurd that bullfighting is exempt if the suffering is wrapped in tradition, culture, and tourism," says Gitte Buchhave. In Spain alone, around 30,000 bulls, cows, and calves are used for bullfighting and festivals with other forms of mistreatment of the animals every year.

There are several reasons to avoid visiting the bullfighting arena if your holiday trip is to Spain, France, or Portugal, which are the only countries in Europe where bullfighting is still permitted. According to World Animal Protection Denmark, a larger number of bulls are killed each year to entertain tourists and local enthusiasts of the bloody tradition, which, according to the animal welfare organization, is partly kept alive through EU agricultural subsidies.

According to the most commonly used industry figures, which originate from the Spanish industry organization for breeders of fighting bulls - Union de Criadores de Toros Lidia, Spanish breeders of fighting bulls receive around 1.5 billion kroner annually through the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, the animal welfare organization states in a press release.

But no one can with certainty determine the exact amount that helps finance thousands of bullfighting festivals each year. This is because the support is embedded in the EU's general agricultural schemes and is not listed separately, explains World Animal Protection Denmark, which has surveyed Danes via YouGov about their attitude towards bullfighting. The responses show that only 8 percent of Danish citizens are aware that Southern European farmers receive EU support to breed fighting bulls, while 80 percent say they are against their tax money being used for such purposes.

"When Danes discover that their tax money indirectly supports an industry where animals are bred for bullfighting, they react very clearly. It's not just about breaking with cultural traditions, but primarily about ensuring that the EU's animal welfare policy is both consistent and credible. You cannot, on the one hand, talk about high animal welfare and at the same time finance the breeding of animals that are bred for entertainment, where suffering is a prerequisite," says Gitte Buchhave, director of World Animal Protection Denmark.

Tax money should not support animal cruelty

According to Niels Fuglsang (S), member of the European Parliament and chairman of the Parliament's cross-party animal welfare group, it is currently impossible to get a clear answer on how many EU funds actually end up with breeders of fighting bulls:

"It is a major democratic problem that neither citizens nor elected representatives can gain full insight into how many EU funds go to the breeding of fighting bulls. The Commission simply states that they do not have figures on this because it is part of hectare support. The lack of transparency makes it difficult to conduct an honest political debate about how taxpayers' money is being used," says Niels Fuglsang and adds:
"If it were up to me, bullfighting should be completely banned. But a first step on the way must be that tax money at least does not go to support animal cruelty."

Gap in the EU's animal welfare policy

The lack of transparency means that the most credible figure on support for fighting bulls comes from the Spanish bull breeders' own industry organization.

They have pointed out that breeders would lose 200 million euros annually if they did not receive help through the EU's agricultural support.

"It is a gap in European animal welfare policy that is becoming increasingly difficult for the EU to explain – both politically and morally. The policy must apply everywhere – and to all animals. It is absurd that bullfighting is exempt if the suffering is wrapped in tradition, culture, and tourist experience," says Gitte Buchhave.

In Spain alone, around 30,000 bulls, cows, and calves are used for bullfighting and festivals with other forms of mistreatment of the animals each year.