The Government shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare and, after we leave the EU, the Government plans to retain our current regulations banning the import of fur from domestic cats, dogs or commercial seal hunts.

Fur farming was banned in the UK in 2000. Fur farming is legal in other EU countries, and rules are in place to ensure that animals kept for fur production in the EU are kept, trapped and killed humanely. While the UK is a member of the EU it is not possible to introduce restrictions relating to the fur trade which are inconsistent with the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU and which impair the free movement of goods within the EU single market. There will be an opportunity for government in the future, once we have left the EU and the nature of our future trading relationship has been established, to consider further steps such as a ban on fur imports or a ban on sales.

The Government is working at an international level to support higher animal welfare standards worldwide to phase out fur farming and trapping practices in other parts of the world that are banned here. We believe this is the best way to prevent animal cruelty and that this approach will lead to a much higher level of animal welfare standards. After EU exit, once the UK assumes an independent seat on international bodies such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), we will have an opportunity to promote further our high standards in these international fora.

Department for International Trade