EC welcomes animal transport moves
Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection Markos Kyprianou said the new rules would significantly improve animal welfare. Her ambition was to reduce travelling times and stocking densities further, but member states are split on this issue. She said the rules will make it easier to enforce higher standards of welfare in animal transport. She aims to minimise the stress for animals and ensure they arrive at their destination as fast as possible.
However, director of CIWF-Ireland Mary-Anne Bartlett said the EU ministers opted for limited reforms.
There is a wealth of evidence that animals suffer on long journeys. The decision to adopt a six-year delay shows no willingness by the council to address the main welfare problem in the live animal export trade, the lack of a journey limit.
Ms Bartlett said: “A six-year delay in addressing journey times, rest periods and stocking densities means millions of animals will continue to suffer for years to come.
“CIWF will continue to highlight the plight of the animals and to press for an eight-hour maximum journey limit for animals travelling for slaughter or further fattening.”
Ms Bartlett added the package adopted by the council in Brussels did offer more training and enforcement of the rules, including the use of satellite navigation systems to monitor journeys on vehicles by 2009. It also enables stricter national rules to be drawn up.
