In our new podcast episode, we had the chance to cover two exciting topics! A new ECI called ‘Fur Free Europe’ and the European Citizens’ Initiative Day which takes place yearly to discuss the ECI-mechanism.

In the first part, we talk to Joh Vinding from the Danish NGO ‘Anima’ about the new ECI called ‘Fur Free Europe’, which collects signatures to ban fur production and imports of fur products in the EU. Fur-farming is already banned in several European countries, while others are peaking in production and leading the world market. The alliance of NGOs and civil society actors coming together through the ‘Fur-free Europe’ Initiative wants to stop this cruel mistreatment of millions of animals each year and ban fur-production in the EU.

In the second part of the episode, we talk about the European Citizens’ Initiative day, which took place in Brussels on the 2nd of June. The day takes place yearly as a forum to discuss and exchange about the ECI-mechanism. Organisers of different ECIs tell about their experiences and discuss together with politicians and civil society to make the mechanism more effective. This year a big topic was the involvement of young people in ECIs and how the general knowledge of ECIs could be increased in the European Public, as less than 3% of people in Europe even know about the mechanism! If you have any suggestions or thoughts about that, we would love to hear them and you can send an email to: sophia@ouronlyhome.eu.

Link to sign the ECI: Fur Free Europe | Eurogroup for Animals

References: 
Forening overblik Anima (ouronlyhome.eu)
The Fur Trade - Humane Society International (hsi.org)