Published 03/03/2015

We handed a petition of 320,275 signatures to the European Commission today to demand action on foie gras.

Along with partners at PETA, French group L214 and German organisation the Albert Schweitzer Foundation, we took your signatures to European Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis. 

We were joined by several members of the European Parliament, including David Martin, MEP for Scotland.

The Commission’s own Directive says that “no animal shall be provided with food or liquid in a manner…which may cause unnecessary suffering or injury”.

So the force-feeding used in foie gras production is, in our view, clearly illegal – but it is still widely practised.

Peter Stevenson, our chief policy advisor, says: "We've given the Commission a wealth of scientific evidence, detailed briefings and formal complaints on the illegality of foie gras production. The response has been pathetic. Enough is enough. We need action now".