Barcelona, July 2013. - Although animal welfare issues in the EU have been generally supported the most progressive parties and green parties where Germany is a shining example, so far only in The Netherlands, the Party for the Animals, has managed to obtain only 2 seats representation in the Parliament.

The presence of this Party has begun to give good and important results: recently the Parliament voted unanimously in favor of requesting the EU to withdraw the subsidies that Spain receives for bullfighting activities. Through the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), by a confusing process, part of the funds goes to breeders of fighting bulls. Today these subsidies are essential for the continuation of bullfighting, as in Spain, the business of bullfighting is in free-fall. In a last ditch attempt to rescue it the diminishing numbers of supporters of these spectacles are now trying to promote them through the declaration of bullfighting as part of the Cultural Heritage. Such a move aims to formalize economic aid and help the process of attracting new and upcoming amateurs through schools and education.

The agreement reached by the Dutch Parliament within the EU will be, for the first time, a very important action towards the rest of the member states who, because they are undecided or unaware of the problem, have been tolerating the fact that, for too many years, their taxpayers’ money goes to support the abuse, torture and death of innocent animals.