EU sets new slaughterhouse rules

The European Commission adopted on the 18 September 2008 a proposal for a regulation that improves the conditions for animals at the time of slaughter or killing and ensures that they are humanely treated.

To simplify the existing legislation and bring it into line with food hygiene regulations, the proposal integrates welfare considerations into the design of slaughterhouses and requires the regular monitoring of the efficiency of stunning techniques. Slaughterhouses must appoint a specific person responsible for animal welfare and ensure that their staff is properly trained and certified. Manufacturers of stunning equipment will have to provide instructions for ensuring proper animal welfare and a number of technical standards are updated in view of scientific progress. Member States will have to create research based centres to provide permanent and competent support to official inspectors. The competent authorities will also be more accountable to the public when they perform mass killings in case of contagious diseases. Every year, nearly 360 million pigs, sheep, goats and cattle as well as several billion poultry are killed in EU slaughterhouses for their meat. In addition, about 25 million animals are killed for their fur. The control of contagious diseases may also require the culling of thousands to millions of other animals.

• Primary Source

European Commission: Press Release: IP/08/1371: Commission proposal improves welfare of animals at slaughter http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1371&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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