Conclusion

In formal reply Ares(2026)5011901, the European Commission stated that

the EU has no mechanism to prevent the killing of fur animals during the transition period
,
that Member States establish their own conditions for implementing national bans on fur farming,
and that the Commission has no legal basis to intervene as long as Member States comply with existing EU rules.

The reply also states that

the killing of animals must be performed in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009

on the protection of animals at the time of killing.

Source: Formal reply from the European Commission, DG Health and Food Safety, Unit G3 – Animal Welfare.

Reference: Ares(2026)5011901

Subject: Killing of chinchillas in Romania following the ban on fur farming

Source: European Commission / DG Health and Food Safety / Unit G3 – Animal Welfare

Recipient: Akihisa Yorozu

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The following text is reproduced from the formal reply received from the European Commission.
Personal contact details, direct email addresses, signature images, and non-essential administrative metadata have been omitted for privacy and security reasons.

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Dear Mr Yorozu,

On 20 April 2026, you filed an online complaint with the European Commission regarding
an alleged violation of EU law by Romania. I was asked to reply to you in my capacity as
the Head of Unit responsible for animal welfare.

Your complaint relates to what you consider being an implementation gap, due to the lack
of a mechanism at EU level to prevent the killing of farmed chinchillas during the transition
period following the decision by the Romanian authorities to ban the farming of fur animals.

The Commission condemns any form of cruelty towards animals inspired by the words of
Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which requires the
Union and the Member States, in formulating and implementing their policies, to pay full
regard to the welfare requirements of animals, since animals are sentient beings.

However, I would like to inform you that while the Commission places significant
emphasis on animal welfare policies, not all aspects or animals are covered by the present
EU animal welfare legislation. Animal welfare is one of the fields in which Member States
partially retain their own legislative and administrative competences.

Therefore, I can only reiterate what was already stated in the response you received from
the Europe Direct Contact Centre:

the EU has no mechanism to prevent the killing of fur animals during the transition period.

Member States establish their own conditions for implementing national bans on fur
farming. The Commission has no legal basis to intervene in the activities of Member States
as long as they comply with the EU rules.

There is therefore no violation of EU law, since no EU legislation exists on this matter.

The killing of animals must be performed in accordance with EU legislation Council
Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing.

You have already written on this subject and received detailed response from the Europe
Direct Contact Centre.

Please note that the Commission reserves the right to discontinue repetitive
correspondence in accordance with the Code of Good Administrative Behaviour of Staff
of the European Commission in their Relations with the Public.

In line with the Code of Good Administrative Behaviour, we regret to inform that the
Commission will not be replying to any future correspondence from you on this subject.

I would like to thank you for your commitment to protecting animals.

Yours sincerely,
[Name and signature omitted for privacy]

Electronic signature and administrative metadata omitted for privacy and security reasons.

This reply confirms the implementation gap addressed by the SAVE 15000 Project:
EU animal-welfare principles recognize animals as sentient beings, but the Commission identifies no immediate EU-level mechanism to prevent the killing of fur animals during Romania’s national transition period.

The practical question therefore remains at national and local level:
whether remaining chinchillas must continue to be treated as disposable production assets, or whether a structured transfer route into responsible pet adoption can be examined before avoidable killing occurs.