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May 15th, 2013 
Peter Nolan
The government’s move to enshrine the status of bullfighting comes as the
industry suffers extreme difficulties in the face of public spending cuts
which have seen local councils slash funding for annual fiestas featuring
taurine events.
“Bullfighting is barbaric and cruel and, without the prop of farming EU
subsidies, it’s a failing business. The EU must immediately withdraw funding
from bullfighting,” said Keith Taylor, a British Green MEP.
Mr Taylor is one of 17 MEPs who has written to the commissioner calling for
“immediate disqualification of any subsidies to the bullfighting sector” and
“fines for member countries which direct CAP assistance to subsidising bull
rearing for questionable entertainment”.
The commission has insisted that while the breeders of fighting bulls can
claim pastures subsidies, like any other farmer, there is no direct EU
funding for bullfighting.
“The commission has no competence to take initiatives in relation to the
matter as bullfighting is out of the scope of legislation on the protection
of animals at the time of slaughter or killing,” said a spokesman.
Roger Gale, the Tory MP for Thanet North, and the president of the
Conservative animal welfare group, called on the subsidies to be axed.”I
don’t think British taxpayers will be too chuffed to find out they paying
for Spanish bullfighting. The commission needs to stop making excuses and
sort it out.”
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