Claudia Taccani is the spokesperson of OIPA, the International Organization for Animal Protection. The association promotes two European Citizens' Initiatives: Vegan Meal and End the Horse Slaughter Age.
Claudia Taccani: The experience that OIPA has with the European Citizens’ Initiative is very positive. It is a simple tool, we can say “youthful”, within everyone's reach, and it is very useful because it is a tool that brings European citizens closer to Europe itself, and therefore it enables anyone to bring one's voice, one's own initiative so that a legislative decision could then be made.
We have already had the opportunity to collaborate with various associations for several European citizens’ initiatives, for instance, End the Cage Age and Fur Free Europe, and we believe that this tool can certainly be used for many issues regarding the protection of animal rights, and that this tool gives citizens the opportunity to express their will.
OIPA's decision to employ the European Citizens’ Initiative tool is based on the fact that we, as an international organization, represent a multitude of people who demand the protection of animal rights. We believe that thanks to the ECI, the voice of the European citizens can be transformed into a legislative measure, thus increasing the protection of animal rights.
The “End the Horse Slaughter Age” initiative is aimed at obtaining a binding legislative measure from the European Union that would prohibit the slaughter and exploitation of horses, an animal that is much loved. Nowadays, horses are still used to tow carriages with tourists or during races. There is little talk about slaughter, but unfortunately in Europe, it is still possible to slaughter and eat horses. Moreover, Italy is the country in Europe where there is the biggest demand for the consumption of horse meat. The official figures are that 250,000 horses are slaughtered every year, they are subjected to hellish journeys, they often arrive at the slaughterhouse injured, and obviously very scared, and this is precisely due to the demand for horse meat that is still there today.
With the ECI “End the Horse Slaughter Age”, OIPA Italia aims to reach everyone. Of course, with this tool, we are targeting young people because they are the future, but, when we ask to stop the slaughtering of horses, we are really addressing everyone. The horse is an animal that, unfortunately, in history has been greatly exploited, but it is also an animal adored by many people who do not understand why horses, which in the end can very well be equalled to a pet par excellence - dog or cat - should be slaughtered. OIPA is against the slaughter and exploitation of all animals, but, even more so in this specific case, we are turning to Europe to ban the slaughter and consumption of this fantastic animal, the horse. What we ask of all those who join the initiative is to stop the consumption of meat, in particular horse meat, and to spread our initiative among friends and relatives. It takes very little, just a click, and you can join the European citizens’ initiative and add your signature to request that this becomes the law.
The European citizens’ initiative Vegan Meal requests that there be a vegan alternative in restaurants, shops, supermarkets or when we decide to travel around Europe, so even on the motorway we should find some vegan food options. This is being requested by the increasing number of people who have decided to choose a vegan or vegetarian diet. This is because there is greater sensitivity towards animals, and also more and more attention to the environment and health. We would like everyone, even just the curious people, to know that adopting a vegan diet is possible. In fact, if European citizens believe in freedom of choice, it is necessary to ensure that anyone has the possibility to choose, when they travel, when they go to a restaurant with friends or other places, to eat and consume vegan food, and this will eventually lead to a transition towards a cruelty-free production.
Watch Claudia Taccani's interview here.
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Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics: We chose an ECI because it has meaning, and it has force!
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