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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe
@joswabe.bsky.social
2.3K followers 990 following 980 posts
Senior Director of Public Affairs for Humane World for Animals Europe (formerly Humane Society International). Advocate for animals. EU policy wonk. Erstwhile sociologist. Bird nerd & nature lover. Vegan foodie. Posting in EN & NL. Usual disclaimers apply.
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · Nov 21
👋 Time for another quick introduction.

I’m HSI/Europe’s senior director of public affairs & will be primarily engaging here on animal agriculture, food policy, fur, wildlife protection, biodiversity & EU policy/political stuff. And posting the occasional bird pic!
Chickens
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 6h
Yeah... pretty pathetic, heh?
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
humaneworldeurope.bsky.social
Humane World for Animals Europe @humaneworldeurope.bsky.social · 5d
During a @euractiv.com Policy Triangle discussion, experts, including our Jay Ingram, emphasized the urgency of aligning regulations with scientific innovation, particularly regarding the expected roadmap of @ec.europa.eu to phase out animal testing. Watch the video: www.euractiv.com/video/can-eu...
Can Europe future proof chemical testing and seize the shift away from animal models? | Euractiv
In this Policy Triangle, supported by Humane World for Animals, we explore how Europe can modernise its chemical testing framework as part of the upcoming revision of REACH.
www.euractiv.com
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Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
humaneworldeurope.bsky.social
Humane World for Animals Europe @humaneworldeurope.bsky.social · 2d
Download the report here: www.prowildlife.de/wp-content/u...
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Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
humaneworldeurope.bsky.social
Humane World for Animals Europe @humaneworldeurope.bsky.social · 2d
The EU remains a major hub for wildlife trafficked from vulnerable habitats across the world. Join us online for an event presenting our latest report, produced together with @prowildlife.bsky.social, @ifaweu.bsky.social, @fourpawsint.bsky.social, and @wcs.org.
Follow the link to register ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Stolen Wildlife
Closing the loopholes in the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations
www.eventbrite.de
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 2d
Argh. That is so annoying!!

I probably earn our organisation back about 300-500 euros per year claiming for delayed & cancelled trains.
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 2d
Singularly unhelpful of @ns.nl to send me a notification this am that my 10.03 train to Brussels had been cancelled.

Rushed to A’dam Zuid to attempt an alternative route via Rotterdam, only to discover that the Eurocity Direct WAS running after all.

Too much stress for a Monday morning. 😩
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 5d
The animal agriculture industry is so full of manure.

meatthefacts.eu/home/activit...
The Myth of the Planetary Diet | European Livestock Voice
meatthefacts.eu
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 6d
European Parliament votes to ban veggie burgers, the serves them for lunch.

O, the irony…

www.politico.eu/article/eu-p...
EU Parliament votes to ban veggie burgers — then serves them for lunch
The ink was barely dry on the European Parliament’s prohibition across the bloc when its own chefs dished up “vegan burgers,” leaving lawmakers choking on the irony.
www.politico.eu
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Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
arielbrunner.bsky.social
Ariel Brunner @arielbrunner.bsky.social · 7d
Ban the chocolate eggs. Gummy bears might be taken for bush meat. Kidney beans are a clear threat to anyone looking for some Italian rognone. And don't get me started on the French Oiseaux sans tête (headless birds that involve no birds at all).
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Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
dpcarrington.bsky.social
Damian Carrington @dpcarrington.bsky.social · 7d
“A beef tomato doesn’t contain any beef … Ladies’ fingers are not made of actual ladies’ fingers. Let’s trust consumers and stop this hotdog populism,” says Austrian MEP Anna Stürgkh

Ditto Shepherds pie

Feel free to add your own below 👇

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
‘Veggie burgers’ could be off the menu as MEPs vote to ban plant-based food terms
Vote is victory for MEPs who want to strengthen position of farmers in food supply chain
www.theguardian.com
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Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
birdlifeeurope.bsky.social
BirdLife Europe & Central Asia @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social · 7d
⚠️𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆.⚠️

Once again, this assault on environmental safeguards is being sold as “simplification.” It’s not simplification, it’s dismantling. And it’s a betrayal of both nature and farmers.
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 7d
And populism...
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 7d
This outcome goes against @europarl.europa.eu's previous position on meat denominations from 2020.

It undermines EU goals on competitiveness, innovation, and sustainable food systems.

And will also introduce unnecessary legal uncertainty & potential rebranding costs for the plant-based sector.
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 7d
355 MEPs voted today to ban the use of meat denominations like burger & sausage for plant-based products.

This is a manufactured issue. Consumers are not confused.

If there was ever clearer evidence of political decision-making being heavily influenced by the animal agriculture lobby. This is it.
Voting results amendment on meat denominations https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/PV-10-2025-10-08-RCV_FR.pdf Voting results amendment on meat denominations https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/PV-10-2025-10-08-RCV_FR.pdf
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Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
arielbrunner.bsky.social
Ariel Brunner @arielbrunner.bsky.social · 7d
The EU frogmarched into ridicule by the intensive farm lobby. The European Parliament has voted through the Veggie burgers ban.

As the world burns, we make symbolic gestures to show we want to burn it faster.
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Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
ciwf.org
Compassion in World Farming International @ciwf.org · 8d
📈 80% of EU consumers support using terms like veggie burger. So why is the EU trying to ban them?

This would only increase red tape and prevent the shift to sustainable, plant-rich diets.
145+ orgs are saying: there is #NoConfusion. Sign the letter: noconfusion.org
OPEN LETTER | No Confusion over Plant Based Products
noconfusion.org
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 8d
There are already moves afoot to squash these developments too. Italy & Hungary have already passed legislation on it, despite no products yet having been authorised to be commercially placed on the market in the EU.
joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 8d
9) It beggars belief that we are once again having to fight a meat denomination ban.

This fight against the veggie burger ban was won back in 2020, but the political winds have changed in the EU. Commonsense has made way for populism with even the VDL II Commission jumping on the bandwagon.
joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 8d
8) There is no need for a veggie burger ban, the ECJ recently ruled that the Food Information to Consumers Regulatio was sufficient to protect & inform consumers about plant-based foods.
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 8d
7) So, basically, hindering the development of plant-based products would ultimately undermine the goal of supporting farmers' incomes & strengthening food security.
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 8d
6) Absurdly, those seeking to protect the interests of (animal) farmers, ignore the fact that the raw materials used to make veggie burgers etc. are produced by - surprise, surprise - EU farmers.
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 8d
5) In the context of EU efforts to boost competitiveness, achieve simplification & fostering innovation, creating further hurdles & red tape for companies/SMEs producing plant-based products would be counterproductive.
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 8d
4) Remarkably NO impact assessment has been conducted to show any positive societal benefits of banning such meat denominations.

Nor has there been any analysis of the negative consequences for EU farmers, SMEs & the food service sector.
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 8d
3) Depressingly @ec.europa.eu has drunk the industry Kool-Aid & included a provision on the denomination of plant-based foods within its proposal for the full CMO Revision.

So the report being voted on tomorrow is not the appropriate place to discuss the (non)issue.
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · 8d
2) No-one is actually confused or misled by the current use of 'meaty' names for vegan & vegetarian products, particularly because they are marketed as such.

This is a non-issue manufactured by a protectionist animal ag industry, which right-wing politicians have latched into with glee.
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