CIWF welcomes collapse of animal transport talks

Compassion in World Farming has welcomed the collapse of EU negotiations on new regulations governing the transport of live animal exports.

EU agriculture ministers failed to reach agreement on the regulations at a meeting in Brussels last night.

The CIWF said it was relieved by the failure of the talks as the regulations put forward by the Irish presidency of the EU were crueller and more inhumane than the existing rules.

The Irish Farmers Association, meanwhile, has expressed its disappointment at the failure of the talks, describing them as a lost opportunity to protect the live export trade.

The IFA claimed the talks broke down because of the reluctance of "extremists" to reach a reasonable compromise.

The association said the live animal trade from Ireland was worth up to €250m annually and needed to be protected.