On 29–30 October 2026, Budapest will host the international meeting of the Fur Free Alliance (FFA), a global coalition of animal protection organisations working to end the exploitation and killing of animals for their fur. Hosted by the Hungarian animal protection organisation Una Terra Foundation, the gathering will bring international attention to Hungary's continued fur farming industry and the urgent need for a comprehensive EU-wide ban.

The meeting comes at a crucial moment for the Fur Free Europe European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), which received more than 1.5 million verified signatures calling for an EU-wide ban on fur farming and the placing of farmed fur products on the European market. Following the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) scientific assessment of animal welfare on fur farms, animal protection organisations are awaiting the European Commission's response, expecting decisive legislative action towards a comprehensive ban rather than measures limited to improving farming conditions.

The issue has a particularly important Hungarian connection. Olivér Várhelyi, Hungary's European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, holds the portfolio responsible for animal welfare policy as the Commission considers the future of fur farming across the EU. The Budapest gathering will provide an opportunity to highlight the scientific evidence, the expectations of European citizens and the importance of a clear political commitment to ending fur farming.

Ervin Nagy, President of Una Terra Foundation, said:

“Fur production comes at a cost to animals, the environment, and public health. Yet many Hungarians do not even know that chinchillas are still bred and killed for their fur in this country, while Hungary’s National Food Chain Safety Office (NÉBIH) and the ministry responsible for agriculture lack a comprehensive picture of the sector’s scale and operations. Hungary is among just five EU Member States without plans to phase out fur farming. We urge the Hungarian government to end chinchilla fur farming and Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi to champion a comprehensive EU-wide ban on fur farming and the sale of farmed fur products. A fairer, more ethical society in the 21st century must leave this cruel industry behind.”

Hungary remains one of the few EU Member States where animals are still legally bred and killed for their fur. Although the country introduced a partial ban in 2020, chinchilla fur farming remains permitted. Hungary has a long history of chinchilla fur production, with a network of smaller breeders supplying a concentrated purchasing and processing industry. However, the current scale of production remains unclear, raising serious questions about farm registration, animal welfare inspections, transparency and official oversight.

Richard Bissett, board member of the Fur Free Alliance, said:

“Fur Free Europe was the most successful European Citizens’ Initiative on animal welfare in history, gathering over 1.5 million signatures in record time. This overwhelming support demonstrates that citizens across Europe increasingly reject the use of animal fur as a cruel and unnecessary product. Continuing to allow this industry to operate in Europe would be a clear disregard for public opinion. I therefore call on Commissioner Várhelyi to do the right thing and deliver a comprehensive EU-wide ban on fur farming.”

Alongside the international meeting, Una Terra Foundation and its partners will organise a press conference on 29 October at 9:30 a.m. at Vegan Garden in Budapest, bringing together representatives of European animal protection organisations and Hungarian experts. The event is also supported by Hungarian singer and television personality Peti Puskás, who has backed the call to ban fur farming, and helps to raise public awareness in Hungary on the suffering behind fur production. The conference adresses the future of EU legislation, the EFSA's findings, the animal welfare, environmental and public health consequences of fur farming, the industry's economic interests, and the experiences of countries that have already phased out fur production.

The Thursday event will also mark the Hungarian opening of The Truth Behind Fur – Amit a szőrme eltakar, an international travelling exhibition highlighting the realities of fur production and its consequences for animals, people and the environment. The exhibition will include additional material on Hungary's chinchilla fur industry, drawing attention to an often-overlooked aspect of European fur farming.

During the conference, the Una Terra Foundation and its international partners will highlight the urgent need to end fur farming, calling on the Hungarian government to make chinchilla fur farming history and urging Hungary’s Commissioner Várhelyi to do the right thing and act for a comprehensive EU-wide ban.

The message from Budapest is clear: Europe has an opportunity to bring fur farming to an end, and Hungary should be part of that transition.

BRUSSELS, 3 SEPTEMBER – Previously unpublished footage from Finnish fur farms shows that so-called "monster foxes", animals selectively bred to grow unnaturally large for larger pelts, continue to be bred despite years of criticism, industry promises of reform, and legislation intended to prevent animal suffering.

The photos and videos, recorded between November 2025 and April 2026 on farms in Lapua, Veteli and Kauhava, were provided to the animal advocacy organisation Project 1882 by an anonymous source. They document foxes with extreme skin folds, severe eye infections, untreated injuries and impaired mobility, housed in barren wire-mesh cages.

The footage comes at a critical moment for the future of fur farming in Europe. Pressure is mounting on the European Commission to act following the Fur Free Europe initiative, which attracted more than 1.5 million signatures calling for an EU-wide ban on fur farming. While the Commission had been expected to present its response in March, a decision has been delayed until after summer. At the same time, a Swedish government inquiry published on 30 April 2026 has proposed a nationwide ban on the breeding and keeping of animals for fur production, arguing for legislation that would apply to all animal species kept primarily for fur or skin production.

Photo credit: Project 1882

Public attention was drawn to so-called "monster foxes" in 2017, when images from Finnish fur farms revealed animals bred to grow unnaturally large in order to produce bigger, more valuable pelts. Despite subsequent industry assurances that such breeding practices would end, the new material shows that they continue today. This year, Finnish auction house Saga Furs even introduced a new, larger size category for fox pelts, further rewarding the production of oversized animals. At its March 2026 auction, Saga Furs offered 12,769 Blue Fox pelts in a size 70 category, larger than the maximum established by the industry following the 2017 scandal. 

Benny Andersson, CEO Project 1882, says:

"This footage shows that serious animal welfare problems remain embedded in the fur industry," , "As the EU considers the future of fur farming, policymakers must decide what level of animal suffering Europe is willing to accept for luxury products."

Joh Vinding, Chair of the Fur Free Alliance, says:

“Nearly a decade ago, the fur industry was exposed for breeding grotesquely oversized foxes and claimed that this would stop. Despite the breeding of these oversized foxes being condemned by EFSA for serious welfare violations, the fur industry's broken promise is exposed by these new images. In 2026, in the European Union, these suffering animals continue to be bred for their fur, and the biggest pelts are still being sold and rewarded. The European Commission should draw the obvious conclusion: a fur industry that cannot keep its own welfare promises cannot be trusted to regulate itself. Europe needs a Fur Free Europe, not another system of industry standards.”

 

While more than 1.5 million EU citizens are calling for a ban on fur farming, animals continue to suffer in cages on fur farms. The Fur Free Europe campaign, launched in 2022, was jointly led by the Brussels-based animal protection organisation Eurogroup for Animals and the Fur Free Alliance; in Hungary, the Una Terra Foundation (UTA) joined the campaign as a member organisation of both networks.

In Hungary, UTA’s predecessor organisation, the Hungarian Anti-Fur League, spent years exposing abuses and irregularities linked to fur farming. Unfortunately, from the authorities’ side, as has been the case for decades, there is still no accurate, public data on the number of breeders, farms, or chinchillas kept for their fur — even though the domestic industry previously referred to itself as a world leader.

The fur industry carries serious animal welfare, public health, environmental and zoonotic risks, while its economic significance is steadily declining, according to an economic analysis. Russia remains one of the last larger markets, while consumers around the world and the fashion industry have long turned away from real fur. This makes the Brussels POLITICO report particularly concerning: according to the article, the International Fur Federation’s EU lobbying activities were financed through a Liechtenstein-based financial structure in which revenues from Russian fur auctions also appeared. Can Olivér Várhelyi really allow the ban on fur farming to be influenced, even indirectly, by a fur industry lobby linked to Russian interests?

In 2020, Hungary introduced a partial ban on the breeding of carnivorous fur-bearing animals precisely on the grounds of zoonotic risk and animal welfare, yet chinchillas were left out. According to the European Food Safety Authority, the serious welfare problems identified on fur farms cannot be prevented or meaningfully mitigated under the current farming systems, which in practice supports the need for a ban. Despite this, Olivér Várhelyi, as Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, has so far failed to take these scientific conclusions into account.

Across the EU, 24 Member States have now introduced partial or full bans on fur farming. Based on national measures already adopted, by 2028 only five Member States are expected to remain where fur farming could still continue. In this situation, Olivér Várhelyi, as Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, has still not spoken out in favour of an EU-wide ban. Moreover, in 2025 he personally told a representative of UTA that he does not intend to ban these farms.

An EU-wide ban on fur farming is now not only an animal welfare and public health issue, but also an economic reality. More and more data show that the social, environmental and public health costs of the sector far exceed its actual economic benefit. In this situation, the European Commission must base its decision on scientific evidence, the will of EU citizens and the public interest. The demand of the Fur Free Europe initiative is clear: Europe does not need wild animals to be kept in cages for fur.

Photo: Kristo Muurimaa

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.”