European Commission proposes stricter rules on animal transport, July 2003

The suffering of animals transported across Europe could be eased under new proposals, adopted by the European Commission on 16 July 2003, to radically overhaul animal transport rules.

Each week about 10 million cattle, sheep and pigs are transported by road in the European Union between farms and slaughterhouses in addition to thousands of horses and millions of laying hens. Animals on these journeys face particularly stressful conditions, crammed into small spaces with temperatures varying from extremely hot to bitterly cold, and many do not make it alive. In December 2000, the European Commission published a report admitting that Directive 95/29/EC on the protection of animals during transport had failed to ensure their welfare on journeys across Europe. The report was based on findings from the EU's Food and Veterinary Office who check the implementation of the live transport Directive in the Member States on behalf of the European Commission. As a result of these findings, the European Commission announced a review of the Directive and launched a consultation with stakeholders on the requirements for animal protection during transport.

Under the new rules the travel times for all animals would be limited to a maximum of nine hours with a minimum of twelve hours rest, replacing the current maximum journey time of 28 hours with a 12 hour break. However animal welfare groups have criticised the proposals because the new 'rest period' does not require the animals to be unloaded from the vehicle whilst previously they had to be unloaded at a staging point. The groups say Critics that allowing no maximum overall transport time means that the nine then 12 hour cycle can go on indefinitely until the animals reach their destination.

The European Commission is also proposing that the conditions for animals whilst travelling should be improved with specific temperature systems according to species, permanent access to drinking water, more space and a ban on tethering animals. The enforcement of the new rules would also be strengthened by passing them as a Regulation, which ensures harmonisation in Member States, rather than as a Directive, which allows some national interpretation.

In additions, a new series of checks will be introduced to make it easier to prosecute offenders. All drivers will undergo mandatory training and all transporters will be required to keep a journey log, for journeys over nine hours, with signatures of all involved and a report at the end of the transportation. Interim stops, such as markets, assembly centres and harbours, will be required to check and implement animal welfare rules and all vehicles used in the transportation of animals will need to be approved every five years.

Yet despite the new rules, which would mean commuters on London's tube in the Summer could face worse conditions than animals transported across Europe, animal welfare groups say the proposals do not go far enough. Whilst they have welcomed the proposals on mandatory training for drivers and improved vehicles with proper ventilation, they have criticised the European Commission's failure to introduce a maximum eight hour journey time. David Wilkins, Director of Eurogroup on Animal Welfare said:

'We have accumulated over many years a mountain of evidence of animal suffering during long journeys. The only practical solution is to apply an absolute limit of 8 hours on all road journeys of animals for slaughter. The Commissioner has been brave to put forward several radical proposals but not quite brave enough'.

The RSPCA echoed the concerns of Eurogroup and issued a a press release warning European holiday makers to think twice about 'the appalling trade they could be unwittingly supporting' and calling upon them to ask for locally produced meat.

Meat producers are already warning that the cost of implementing the new rules may well find its ways onto supermarket shelves and restaurant bills. The European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, David Byrne, has suggested a 20% increase in transport costs but claimed that the increase in the cost of the value of the animal at the slaughterhouse will only be between 0.7 to 1.5%.

The European Commission's proposal will now be passed onto the Council and the European Parliament for approval under the consultation procedure. The European Commission expects the new regulation to be in force by the end of 2005.

Links:
European Commission:
	16.07.03:	Press Release: Commission proposes radical overhaul of transport rules [IP/03/1023]
	Animal welfare during transport
BBC News Online:
	16.07.03:	EU could ease live export cruelty
Eurogroup for Animal Welfare:
	Homepage
	16.07.03:	New transport rules at last but will they help the animals?
	Report: The Welfare of Transported Animals
	Campaign: Live Animal Transport
RSPCA:
	Homepage
	16.07.03:	Live transport laws fail animals
	Report: Standing Room Only - Science and suffering in European live animal transport

Helen Bower

Compiled: Thursday, 17 July 2003

The European Commission adopted proposals on 16 July 2003 to radically overhaul animal transport rules.