In many European countries and at EU level, the introduction of a so-called positive list for pets is being discussed. With the introduction of a positive list, all pet animals would be banned. A positive list allows in the second step after an evaluation a limited number of pet species.
But would that be legally permissible at all?
The German Pet Trade & Industry Association ZZF (Zentralverband Zoologischer Fachbetriebe Deutschlands e.V.) has commissioned with the support of EPO a legal opinion from Prof. Dr. Dr. Tade Matthias Spranger from the Faculty of Law at the University of Bonn (Germany). The "Expert Opinion on the Legal Admissibility of the Introduction of a National Positive List for Pets with Special Consideration of Constitutional and European Law Aspects" concludes that a positive list would violate international law, EU law and the Basic Law of Germany.
