On 6 March 2026, representatives of the Fur Free Europe campaign met the European Commission to raise serious concerns about its handling of the Fur Free Europe European Citizens’ Initiative, which is backed by more than 1.5 million EU citizens. The meeting was attended by Fur Free Alliance members Eva Lauwens of FOUR PAWS and Richard Bissett of Respect for Animals, alongside Eurogroup for Animals. The initiative calls for an EU ban on keeping and killing animals for fur, and on placing farmed fur products on the EU market. The Commission is expected to outline its policy position on fur farming by the end of March 2026.

The meeting took place only after a complaint was lodged with the European Ombudsman over the Commission’s failure to engage properly with the initiative’s organisers, while holding exclusive meetings with fur industry lobbyists. According to the Ombudsman, the complaint concerned the Commission’s failure to reply to a meeting request sent on 12 December 2025, as well as wider procedural concerns about how the initiative had been handled.

In that context, the absence of Olivér Várhelyi, the Commissioner responsible for Health and Animal Welfare, was particularly striking. For a meeting that occurred only after Ombudsman intervention, the failure of the responsible Commissioner to attend sent an extremely poor signal. It does not resolve the underlying concerns that led to the complaint, nor does it suggest that the Commissioner yet appreciates the seriousness of the European Ombudsman inquiry. Politico Europe reported this week that Commissioner Várhelyi is seeking a weak standards-based approach, as wanted by the fur industry, but it is facing strong opposition from other figures in the European Commission who favour a full ban. 

This comes at a time of mounting pressure on the Commission over how it will respond to the Fur Free Europe ECI. The scientific case for decisive action is already clear. In its 2025 opinion on animals kept for fur production, EFSA identified serious welfare problems affecting mink, foxes, raccoon dogs and chinchillas kept for fur production in the EU.

There is also a compelling case for action on environmental and public health grounds, given the wider harms and risks associated with fur farming. A 2025 report by economist Griffin Carpenter concluded that the EU fur sector imposes costs on society that outweigh its economic contribution, underlining how weak the case is for preserving the industry on economic grounds.

The Fur Free Alliance strongly urges the European Commission to opt for the evidence-based policy position and bring forward a full ban on fur farming and the sale of farmed fur products in the EU, in line with the clear demands of more than 1.5 million citizens.

BRUSSELS, 23 FEBRUARY - Today, animal protection organisations from across Europe gathered outside the European Commission in Brussels to urge the Commission to respect public opinion and deliver an EU-wide ban on fur farming and the sale of farmed fur products without delay. The action was organised by the Fur Free Alliance in support of the Fur Free Europe European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), which collected more than 1.5 million signatures in favour of such a ban. A new opinion poll across EU member states reveals continued overwhelming support for an EU-wide ban.

The protest comes as the European Commission prepares its response to Fur Free Europe, expected in March 2026. The campaigners called on the Commission to follow the scientific evidence, including the European Food Safety Authority’s 2025 scientific opinion on animals kept for fur production, and warned against any proposals that would create unacceptable “minimum standards” while leaving animals confined in cages on fur farms.

Newly published polling of 18,000 citizens across EU member states by Savanta finds clear majorities backing an EU-wide ban on fur farming (64% net support) and similarly strong support for tackling the trade in farmed fur, with 69% net support for banning imports of fur farmed outside the EU. Opposition to a ban is very low (around 10–13%), underlining that action to end fur farming and remove farmed fur from the EU market continues to be firmly aligned with public expectations.

Campaigners staged a high-visibility action outside the Commission’s Berlaymont Building, using campaign visuals including huge mobile LED screens on bikes/vehicles, banners and placards. Speakers at a ‘soapbox-style’ street rally included Tilly Metz MEP and Mike Moser (former Director of Standards for the International Fur Federation and former CEO British Fur Trade, now campaigning to end the fur trade), alongside representatives from Bont voor Dieren, Collective Fashion Justice, Deutscher Tierschutzbund, Eurogroup for Animals, FOUR PAWS, GAIA, Humane World for Animals and Respect for Animals.

Tilly Metz, Member of the European Parliament (Greens/EFA), said:

“Today I am joining the Fur Free Alliance’s event to stand alongside citizens demanding an end to fur farming and fur imports in Europe. The European Commission can no longer ignore the voices of millions of Europeans who have called for change. The scientific evidence is clear: fur farming poses serious risks to animal welfare, public health, and our environment. The Commission must listen — to citizens and to science — and finally take decisive action.”

Joh Vinding, chairman of the Fur Free Alliance, said:

“The science is clear and so is the public: fur farming causes unavoidable animal suffering. One and a half million EU citizens signed the Fur Free Europe initiative, and now The Commission must listen and deliver a full ban on fur farming and trade across Europe, once and for all”.

Mike Moser, consultant and former fur industry CEO, said:

“It is unbelievable and completely unforgivable that fur farming still continues today. Having spent so many years working to defend the fur industry, it is now my strongly held view that while animals continue to be caged, no improvement to nor strengthening of fur farming regulations will ever prevent the welfare problems and cruelty that are systemic to the fur industry. Animals on fur farms are suffering right now, they are being denied the ability to act out their most natural behaviours. It would be unforgivable of the European Commission to not to take this opportunity to end this trade for good."

Growing concern over animal welfare has led 18 EU Member States to introduce bans on fur farming in recent years, including Poland, the EU’s largest fur producer. Despite declining demand for fur products, millions of animals including mink, foxes, raccoon dogs and chinchillas are still being bred for fur—a luxury product no one needs.

Beyond the immense animal suffering, fur production poses risks to the environment, biodiversity and public health, as documented during the COVID-19 pandemic and recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Fur is rejected by most fashion brands, as the supply chain is considered incompatible with the companies' sustainability commitments and ethical values.

Further to this, a complaint has been submitted to the European Ombudsman regarding the European Commission’s handling of the Fur Free Europe process. The complaint alleges that fur industry representatives were granted privileged access during the Commission’s preparatory work, while civil society and the democratic vehicle of the ECI campaign were not treated on an equal footing, and that key information about these contacts was not made transparent. The Commission’s approach risks steering the outcome towards what the fur industry finds acceptable, such as low “standards”.

The Fur Free Alliance calls for an outright full EU-wide fur ban, the only effective way to protect animals, public health, the environment, and which provides a response consistent with the expectations of European citizens.

16 JANUARY 2026 - As we start the new year, we’re reflecting on some of the incredible progress made in 2025 toward ending fur cruelty. With your support, more governments took steps to shut down cruel fur farms, and more fashion brands chose to go fur-free, sparing millions of animals from confinement and suffering. 

Globally, our fight to end the fur trade continued to gain ground on both the legislative and corporate fronts. In 2025, we moved closer to a fur ban in the European Union, initiatives to reject fur advanced across North America, and a growing number of fashion leaders in China and around the world signed our fur-free commitment.

Poland made history by ending the world’s second-largest fur industry, sending a clear message that fur cruelty has no place in Europe. Years of persistent campaigning led to further policy wins, as Sweden shut down its last remaining fur farms, Switzerland advanced toward banning fur imports, and Bulgaria celebrated a permanent end to mink fur farming.

At the EU level, the case for a fur ban kept gaining strength. New biodiversity restrictions on keeping American mink, a landmark opinion by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and new economic research co-commissioned by the Fur Free Alliance all underline why the fur trade is increasingly untenable. 

The move away from fur picked up speed in fashion, with major steps from New York Fashion Week and top publishers behind Vogue, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, and Cosmopolitan pledging to stop promoting real fur.

Thanks to our joint Fur Free Retailer Program, more than 30 brands, including renowned luxury designers, permanently ditched animal fur. At the same time, our global campaign generated over 200,000 messages calling on Woolrich to go fur-free—and pressure continues to build, with major plans ahead in 2026.

None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our supporters and the tireless efforts of Fur Free Alliance advocates working together across borders. As long as animals suffer on cruel fur farms, our work is far from over. Thank you for standing with animals and helping move the world closer to a fur-free future.

16 JANUARY 2026 - As we start the new year, we’re reflecting on some of the incredible progress made in 2025 toward ending fur cruelty. With your support, more governments took steps to shut down cruel fur farms, and more fashion brands chose to go fur-free, sparing millions of animals from confinement and suffering. 

Globally, our fight to end the fur trade continued to gain ground on both the legislative and corporate fronts. In 2025, we moved closer to a fur ban in the European Union, initiatives to reject fur advanced across North America, and a growing number of fashion leaders in China and around the world signed our fur-free commitment.

Poland made history by ending the world’s second-largest fur industry, sending a clear message that fur cruelty has no place in Europe. Years of persistent campaigning led to further policy wins, as Sweden shut down its last remaining fur farms, Switzerland advanced toward banning fur imports, and Bulgaria celebrated a permanent end to mink fur farming.

At the EU level, the case for a fur ban kept gaining strength. New biodiversity restrictions on keeping American mink, a landmark opinion by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and new economic research co-commissioned by the Fur Free Alliance all underline why the fur trade is increasingly untenable. 

The move away from fur picked up speed in fashion, with major steps from New York Fashion Week and top publishers behind Vogue, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, and Cosmopolitan pledging to stop promoting real fur.

Thanks to our joint Fur Free Retailer Program, more than 30 brands, including renowned luxury designers, permanently ditched animal fur. At the same time, our global campaign generated over 200,000 messages calling on Woolrich to go fur-free—and pressure continues to build, with major plans ahead in 2026.

None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our supporters and the tireless efforts of Fur Free Alliance advocates working together across borders. As long as animals suffer on cruel fur farms, our work is far from over. Thank you for standing with animals and helping move the world closer to a fur-free future.

The fur industry in China is in steep decline, with falling business numbers, fewer pelts produced, and fashion houses turning their back on the use of animal fur.   

The latest findings, as reported by Fur Free Alliance member organisation ACTAsia, show clear signs that the multi-billion pound industry is struggling. ACTAsia’s research reveals a sharp drop in the number of fur farms in China, the world’s largest fur producer, from 18 million in May 2023 to 10.7 million in March 2024. The production of pelts in China has also dropped more than half in 2023, compared to the previous year.

According to ACTAsia’s founder and CEO Pei Su, demand has dropped as a result of global fashion brands joining the Fur Free Retailer program and growing concerns about fur farms and their potential link to COVID-19:

“It now feels possible that the fur trade might end in my lifetime - something I never believed possible! Equally, while I want to celebrate the decreasing numbers, we can’t yet claim victory when there are still tens of millions of innocent animals being pointlessly slaughtered every year, just for their fur.”

As well as the shocking cruelty involved in fur production, there are also associated environmental concerns due to the process. Breeding millions of animals just for their fur is an incredibly wasteful and inefficient process that comes with a severe ecological footprint. On top of that, there are implications for global health as fur farms are seen as a high-risk breeding ground for future pandemics, as evidenced in a recent scientific paper from a One Health perspective. 

The Chinese fur industry is particularly prevalent in the north of the country where the colder weather means animals produce thicker fur and the majority of animals are raised on factory farms. ACTAsia’s new report stresses that animal welfare protection laws in China do not cover animals bred for their fur, and checks are inadequately assessed.  Pei Su adds:

“Not only does fur farming cause extreme stress to millions of animals in captivity it also poses a huge risk to the environment and crucially to human health. We want to see greater regulation to protect vulnerable animals and humans, with more investment in education for consumers to know the truth about fur productions, as well as the promotion of sustainable alternatives.”

MILAN, 6 AUGUST 2024 – After receiving hundreds of thousands of emails, thousands of phone calls, countless social media posts and even having a hot air balloon flown over its headquarters in Italy asking them to go fur-free, Max Mara Fashion Group has officially announced a fur-free policy.

In an internal memo to staff, Max Mara said:

"The Company does not sell, online nor in any of its physical retail locations, any products made with fur, nor is there the intention to introduce any products made with fur into any upcoming collections of Max Mara Fashion Group brands.”

This was confirmed by a Max Mara executive, who added:

“Max Mara, including the MMFG and any subsidiaries, has adopted a fur-free policy and has no intention of introducing fur into any upcoming collection for any of the MMFG brands.”

This announcement comes after numerous unsuccessful attempts at a dialogue with the brand by the Fur Free Alliance (FFA), a coalition of more than 50 animal protection organizations from over 35 countries, leading to its launch of a global campaign during fashion weeks in February 2024 in New York City, London, Milan, and Paris urging the Italian fashion giant to adopt a fur-free policy. The campaign saw more than 270,000 emails, 5,000 phone calls and countless social media posts delivering a clear message asking Max Mara to go fur-free, as well as a hot air balloon blitz over the headquarters in Reggio Emilia. Activists around the world came together to ask Max Mara to do the right thing, and they listened, making it clear fur has no place in fashion.

Max Mara Fashion Group has 2,500+ stores in 105 countries and was previously selling mink gloves, fox fur cuffs and a raccoon dog key chain. The Group now joins the world’s major fashion-houses that have already gone fur-free, including Dolce & Gabbana, Saint Laurent, Valentino, Prada, Gucci, Versace, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga and Armani.

Joh Vinding, Chairman of the Fur Free Alliance, said:

“The Fur Free Alliance applauds Max Mara for going fur-free. Max Mara was one of the last global fashion brands that still sold fur, so we’re glad they have now joined a growing list of fur-free brands that want nothing to do with animal cruelty associated with the fur trade.”

In September 2018, the Fur Free Alliance asked supporters to contact Prada urging them to go fur-free, and the Italian luxury brand heard the calls and went fur-free the following year. The Fur Free Alliance also worked with Gucci, Armani, Hugo Boss and many others to announce fur-free policies. Today, over 1500 brands and retailers have pledged to go fur-free by joining the Fur Free Retailer Program.

MONTENEGRO, 10 JULY 2019 - Yesterday, the opening of the Make Fur History exhibition took place at the Culture and Information Center 'Budo Tomovic' in the capital of Montenegro, Podgorica.  The event, co-organised with our local member group Gallop, reveals the reality on fur factory farms and presents the facts about the animals bred and killed for their fur, and shows why the fur industry belongs in the past.

In February 2019, Gallop started a campaign to call for a ban on fur farming in Montenegro which has been welcomed by both the parliament and the government and is widely supported by the citizens of Montenegro. There are currently no fur farms in Montenegro, but the prohibition is meant to prevent fur farmers from neighboring countries, where bans are in place or upcoming, from establishing new farms in the country.

The three-day exhibition aims to inform decision-makers on the negative impact of fur farming on local nature and communities, and shows the extreme animal welfare problems associated with fur farming. Speakers at the opening and roundtable included Dušan Pajović, president of the animal rights organisation Gallop, Maida Šabeta, environmental legal expert, Thomas Pietsch, wild animal expert from Four Paws Germany and Jelena Stevanovic, campaign manager from Freedom For Animals, Serbia.

Pajović says:

"Throughout history, there has always been frames of time where certain social justice ideals would reach mass acceptance. Killing animals for fur has stumbled for a long time against many obstacles – above all the ethical, ecological and economic ones. The “natural” fur industry has finally been beaten, and even the pro-European Montenegro has come to adopt a law prohibiting breeding animals for fur. At this conference, and thereafter,  we will all work together to make fur history – and make it stay in its dark corner.”

The intense battery cage system used on fur farms deprives animals from the opportunity to express their natural behaviour and causes severe welfare problems. International studies have shown behavioral disorders, such as stereotypies, pelt-biting and infant mortality, are highly common on fur farms.

The Make Fur History exhibition was launched last year in the European Parliament by the Fur Free Alliance and Eurogroup for Animals. The exhibition exposes the facts about how real fur is produced and explains why more national bans on fur factory farming are needed across Europe.

SARAJEVO, 5  APRIL 2019 - Today, international experts and lawmakers gather in the Bosnian Parliament for the opening of the Make Fur History exhibition. The exhibition, that was first launched in the European Parliament in 2018, addresses the adverse effects of fur production on animal welfare and the environment, and the urgency for the Bosnian ban on fur farming to go into effect sooner rather than later.

Opening speakers of the event include Marianne Thieme, member of the Dutch Parliament and leader of the Party for the Animals, Damir Arnaut, Bosnian MP and host of the event, Serbian Doctor of Sciences Aleksandar Knežević, and Richard Bissett, Member of the Fur Free Alliance board.

The Make Fur History exhibition, an initiative of the Fur Free Alliance, aims to inform Bosnian decision makers on the scientific evidence of the negative impact of fur farming on animals, nature and local communities and shows the wide public support and global shift to end fur farming.

In late 2017, the Bosnian government voted for a last-minute postponement of the fur farming ban, that was supposed to end fur production in 2018, for another 10 years. Animal advocates around the globe have urged the Bosnian government to stay committed and make an end to the widely condemned industry.

MP Arnaut says:

“The Parliament’s decision to postpone enforcement of the ban was not just ridiculous, but illegal too. Fur farms in Bosnia were illegal after the ban entered into force and in January 2018, but in February same year, they were legalized. The ban has to be restored.”

Bissett adds:

“Globally, momentum is with the anti-fur movement, and we have ethics and science on our side. This week, we’re seeing how the brilliant and vital work of campaigners in Bosnia–Herzegovina is paying off. The Make Fur History exhibition allows us to reveal the reality on fur factory farms, to present the facts about the animals bred and killed for their fur and to show why the fur industry belongs in the past.”

MP Thieme:

“The Dutch Fur Farming prohibition act was passed in January 2013 with a phase out period of ten years. The fur farmers went to court and after that they appealed to the European Court of Human Rights. The key legal question was; can a government strongly regulate property? The court confirmed this with a loud and clear yes. The ban is irrevocable and fully in force. There is no legal reason at all for the Bosnian parliament to postpone their fur farming ban.”

All throughout Europe governments are making significant steps to end fur farming. In the past year alone, Belgium, Luxembourg and Norway - once the world’s top fur producer- voted to ban fur production, and legislation against fur farming was introduced in Ireland, Estonia, and Lithuania.

With the 2009 Act, Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of the forefront of a Europe that is making an end to this barbaric industry. The extension of the phase-out period until 2028 is not in line with public opinion and the worldwide trend towards fur-free policies. The world continues to look at the Bosnian government to fulfill its commitment and put the cruel practice of fur farming to the dustbin of history

The Make Fur History event takes place on April 5th from 10:00 till 17:00. View the invitation here.

SOFIA, 22 MARCH 2019 - Yesterday, the opening of the exhibition 'The impact of fur farming' took place at the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, in Sofia. The exhibition, organised by animal rights organization CAAI, exposes the facts about how real fur is produced and why a national ban on fur farming is needed in Bulgaria.

The 7-day exhibition aims to build awareness and inform decision makers on the adverse effects of fur farming on animal welfare and the environment. The event follows a successful National Citizens' Initiative campaign that showed the wide public support among Bulgarian citizens to close down the polluting and cruel industry of fur farming.

In June 2018, exactly 51 234 signatures were submitted to the Bulgarian parliament by the National Citizens’ Initiative, which seeks to bring about a ban on fur farming on the country’s territory. Along with the signatures, a proposal for an amendment to the current legislation was submitted, with the aim to 'prohitibit the raising, killing and trade of animals for fur production in the Republic of Bulgaria'.

Mark Glover, board member of Fur Free Alliance and campaign director of Respect for Animals, spoke at yesterday's well-attended opening:

“We very much hope that the Bulgarian government responds to the overwhelming evidence that fur farming is cruel as well as the voice of the people of Bulgaria who are opposed to fur farming. This outdated and cruel practice has no place in a modern progressive country. The National Citizens' Initiative and CAAI have done an amazing job in getting this issue raised in Bulgaria. The exhibition is fantastic and deserves to be seen by as many people- including politicians- as possible.”