Letter appeal

Date: 09/11/1995

Animal rights campaigners have targeted Austria's EU ambassador in Brussels Manfred Scheich, sending nearly 7,000 letters to his office in the last three weeks, including 1,200 in just one day.

They all came from Austria, demanding that animal rights be written into the new Maastricht Treaty.

Presumably they have not been impressed by the fact that the treaty includes a declaration on the protection of animals which calls on all those involved in drafting EU legislation “on the common agricultural policy, transport, the internal market and research to pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals”.

Scheich has been targeted because of his role as Austria's representative on the Reflection Group preparing the ground for next year's Intergovernmental Conference.