Finland asks the EU to make an exception to continue mink breeding": The Finns asked the EU to allow minks to breed in their country. "The request submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture concerns 134 farms that plan to continue working after the restrictions come into effect.
Mink is listed as an invasive alien species of the European Union, and without special permission, breeding of the animals throughout the bloc will stop after the end of the transition period in August 2027. Helsinki justifies the request on socio-economic grounds: mink farming provides jobs in rural areas, especially in western and eastern Finland, where employment opportunities are limited. The application includes both operating farms and farms that stopped their operations due to the outbreak of avian flu."