End animal exploitation at the expense of the taxpayer

Where do things stand now?

Sources: Council of the EU, EU budget 2026 (adopted November 2025); European Parliament (EPRS), EU own resources in 2024; Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and Wageningen Economic Research, self-sufficiency 2024. Updated on 25 October 2026.

The article from 2000

With European money the spending morality is low. Whoever gets support from Brussels is inclined to think: "they can spare it, it comes from Europe". And it's true. The European Union is financing its own chaos because it's financially independent. Every day the Union spends 250 million Euro, which is over 90 billion per year. Over 40% of that is paid out in agricultural subsidies. One third goes to "undeveloped" areas in the EU (e.g. the Dutch province of Flevoland! - AF).

Who pays for Europe?

Who are the ones paying for this Europe? Mainly the consumers and taxpayers. They often don't even know that almost 10% of all VAT they are paying go to Brussels. VAT accounts for 40% of all EU income. Furthermore, the Dutch Finance Minister and his colleagues pay almost that same amount in contribution. A third source of income is the EU-levies on cheaper products from faraway (often poor) countries. Because of these levies the consumer pays extra for such products.

From Dutch newspaper Intermediair 14th December 2000 (Jan Werts).

The exploitation of animals in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, animals are exploited in a number of ways. Livestock farms keep as many animals as they find economically profitable. Because of export, the Netherlands produces far more than it needs: almost three times as much pork as the Dutch eat themselves (279%) and one and a half times as much chicken (160%, both in 2024).

The animals are brought to their slaughter weight in as short a time as possible. A cow can naturally live to about 20 years. A dairy cow gives milk for almost four years on average and is slaughtered at about six. The result is overproduction, animal suffering and damage to the environment and to our health.

The hidden costs paid by taxpayers

It is the taxpayer who pays for the animal suffering and the pollution, not those who cause it. This is also true when the sector suffers losses from an animal disease, such as swine fever in 1997, BSE around 2000 and bird flu in recent years. The government then helps pay for culling the animals. On top of that come the EU farm subsidies: the Netherlands receives about 790 million euros a year from the CAP.

Artificial support for an unsustainable sector

Keeping factory farming afloat artificially is in the interest of only a few. In this roundabout way, animal products stay cheap. That seems an advantage, but it hardly is. It is not democratic either.

We think that this sector should not be kept going at the expense of the taxpayer. Make export impossible. Require farms to work in an ecological way. Check animal welfare properly. That way the exploitation of animals can stop. In the end, consumers will pay almost the same.

Toward transparent pricing and responsible production

The true cost of meat

Consumers should pay directly what responsibly produced meat really costs. Now you pay part of it through taxes first and the rest in the shop. These separate payments hide the real cost of meat.

With today's technology, using animals is no longer necessary for anything. Meat and dairy are not needed for your health. The sector should therefore be completely self-supporting.

Making longer animal lives financially attractive

It must become financially attractive to let animals live longer in good conditions. Now cows are slaughtered long before they are old. A dairy cow of six has not yet lived a third of her natural life.

A vision for living together with animals

Our message is not that we should ban animals from society, but that we have to live together with animals and give them their freedom. This requires enough space in nature, where animals are safe from humans: with plenty of living space, food and the chance to meet members of their own species. Animals have the right to their own natural way of life.

Creating a fair system

If European governments stop paying (hidden) subsidies to livestock farming, we will reach an honest situation. Those who choose not to eat meat, or who want to use animals even less, will no longer have to pay for what they see as exploitation. Alternatives that are even more animal-friendly than free-range farming will become more attractive.