Balancing trade and welfare: The UK-GCC challenge in animal welfare standards
- Romy Gelber
- Sep 3
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 8
As UK-GCC trade negotiations advance, critical differences in animal welfare standards threaten British farmers and hard-won welfare improvements
Animal Policy International is calling for urgent safeguards as the UK advances negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — a trading bloc comprising Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.
The GCC's rapid agricultural expansion, particularly in poultry production, combined with the widespread use of production methods that would be illegal in the UK, creates significant risks for British farmers and the UK’s current animal welfare achievements without appropriate import measures. These concerns, shared by the National Farmers Union (NFU), prompted a response from the Prime Minister.
GCC nations are investing billions to transform from importers to major exporters
The timing of UK-GCC trade negotiations coincides with unprecedented agricultural investment across Gulf states. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme has committed SAR 17 billion (approximately £3.5 billion) specifically to poultry expansion, targeting 90% self-sufficiency by 2030 with explicit plans for export surplus generation.
While current UK imports of GCC animal products remain minimal, the scale of planned production increases - with over 30 million laying hens already farmed across just the UAE and Saudi Arabia - indicates potential for significant export volumes to emerge rapidly once domestic demand is satisfied.
Unlike historical trade relationships where welfare standards have gradually converged, the GCC's expansion is explicitly based on intensive systems that prioritise cost competitiveness over welfare considerations.
Many common farming practices in GCC are illegal in Britain
GCC countries have general animal welfare laws based on a 2013 unified GCC Animal Welfare Act, but these only establish some anti-cruelty principles rather than specific production standards.
Although there is room for improvement in UK farming standards, importing products with lower standards would be a step backwards.
The differences between UK and GCC farming standards for products that may be exported to the UK are stark:
Laying hen housing: The UK banned conventional battery cages* in 2012. In contrast, the GCC uses battery cage systems that provide as little as 440cm² per bird, a practice that has been illegal in Britain for over a decade.
Broiler chicken production: UK regulations mandate maximum stocking densities of 39kg/m², with many major supermarkets and producers having committed to the Better Chicken Commitment standard of 30kg/m² or less. GCC countries set no minimum standards or limits on stocking density, with some systems reportedly operating at densities as high as 50kg/m².
Slaughter requirements: UK law requires mandatory stunning before slaughter (with limited religious exemptions). GCC countries do not require stunning, meaning animals are typically conscious during slaughter.
Disease risks in intensive GCC systems pose additional concerns for UK biosecurity
Welfare concerns are compounded by disease risks associated with intensive GCC production systems. Newcastle disease is a significant issue across the Gulf region, with Saudi Arabia facing particular challenges due to "high density of poultry" and inadequate biosecurity protocols. Similarly, avian influenza remains problematic in the GCC, with sources citing "inappropriate vaccination regimes" as a contributing factor. These disease management issues reflect broader regulatory gaps in GCC production systems compared to UK biosecurity standards.
British farming bodies warn of unfairness from lower-welfare imports
British farming bodies have consistently highlighted the disadvantage created by lower animal welfare standards in countries exporting to the UK. The British Egg Industry Council has specifically warned about vulnerability to processed egg imports from battery cage systems, noting processed egg products (powder, liquid) can be imported easily and used in food manufacturing without consumer awareness of production methods.
The UK Government must act now to protect standards in the GCC trade deal
For the UK-GCC trade agreement specifically, the Government should:
Exclude poultry and eggs from tariff liberalisation or make market access conditional on meeting UK animal welfare standards
Introduce comprehensive import welfare standards legislation to ensure that commitment to high animal welfare extends to all products sold in the UK, regardless of origin. This should specifically cover eggs and egg products from battery cage systems (banned in UK since 2012)
This dual approach - protecting standards within the trade deal itself while developing a broader legislative framework - would protect animal welfare standards, meet consumer expectations for consistent welfare across all products, and ensure British farmers aren't undercut by imports from production systems that would be illegal in the UK.
International trade law supports welfare-based import restrictions
International trade law provides clear precedent for import restrictions based on concerns over animal welfare under the public morals exemption in GATT Article XX(a).
The EU's seal products import ban was successfully defended at the WTO under this provision, establishing that animal welfare concerns constitute legitimate grounds for trade restrictions.
The UK already employs similar principles through existing import restrictions. Slaughter regulations require imported meat to come from facilities meeting equivalent humane slaughter standards. Bans on shark fins and ivory imports demonstrate established practice of restricting trade based on production methods deemed unacceptable.
Read more about UK imports in our report.
*About 23% of hens in the UK are still caged in “enriched” cages.
