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Written question – Import of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin – E-002041/2025

Source: European Parliament

Question for written answer  E-002041/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Sebastian Everding (The Left), Anja Hazekamp (The Left)

Since 2015, animal welfare non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have exposed the cruelty of extracting blood from pregnant mares in order to obtain the pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) hormone, which is used to increase and synchronise the fertility of farmed animals, despite alternatives being available.

PMSG production is in breach of EU legislation[1], but European pharmaceuticals companies continue importing PMSG from non-EU countries, inter alia from Iceland[2].

A new NGO investigation from September 2024 again shows the semi-wild horses being subjected to mistreatment, massive stress and pain during the blood collections[3].

  • 1.In 2021, Parliament adopted a resolution on a farm to fork strategy[4] which calls on the Commission to halt the import and domestic production of PMSG[5]. Why has the Commission not heeded Parliament’s call?
  • 2.Will the Commission include high animal welfare standards in the revised Good Manufacturing Practice in order to ensure that no more cruelly produced PMSG will enter the EU market?
  • 3.Is the Commission considering restricting PMSG imports under World Trade Organization rules for reasons of animal protection and to safeguard public morals?

Submitted: 21.5.2025

  • [1] Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, OJ L 276, 20.10.2010, p. 33, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2010/63/oj.
  • [2] www.eftasurv.int/newsroom/updates/iceland-breach-eea-rules-protection-animals-used-scientific-purposes-regards-blood.
  • [3] www.animal-welfare-foundation.org/en/blog/einsatz-in-island-blutentnahmen-zur-pmsg-gewinnung.
  • [4] Resolution of 20 October 2021 on a farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system, OJ C 184, 5.5.2022, p. 2.
  • [5] www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0425_EN.html (point 130).
Last updated: 28 May 2025