| Author (Person) | Cronin, David |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.9, No.26, 10.7.03, p3 |
| Publication Date | 10/07/2003 |
| Content Type | News |
|
Date: 10/07/03 By David Cronin ANIMALS could not be transported for more than nine hours at a stretch under a draft law due to be adopted by the European Commission next week. But the new rules, seen by European Voice, would allow drivers carrying animals to continue their journeys with them on board, provided the animals rest for 11 hours once the initial nine-hour period has elapsed. The animals would not be unloaded during the rest period, due to advice from veterinary consultants that loading and unloading animals increases their stress levels. While the proposal has been described as a radical reform by an aide to David Byrne, the commissioner for food safety and consumer protection, both anti-cruelty groups and farmers are voicing criticisms of it. The live transport question is widely considered the most controversial of animal welfare issues in Europe, especially since it sparked major protests during the 1990s. The Eurogroup for Animal Welfare has been urging Byrne to recommend an eight-hour maximum on the total journey from farm to abattoir. Its spokeswoman, Sonja van Tichelen, said that under the new proposal there would be nothing to stop drivers from undertaking treks exceeding 60 hours in their overall duration, provided they respect the 11-hour rest period regulation. She lambasted the Commission for not heeding a recent petition, signed by more than half of the 626 members of the European Parliament, for an eight-hour threshold. "The Parliament has been asking the Commission again and again for a journey time limit, but it has been completely ignored," she said. Byrne, however, is known to be reluctant to propose measures that would not be likely to get the required level of support from the Council of Ministers for implementation. France, Italy, Spain and Ireland have all voiced opposition to the calls for an eight-hour limit. About 10% of all animal transports in the EU are currently longer than eight hours. The new rules would also require drivers involved in long-distance animal transport to upgrade their vehicles. For example, they would have to be equipped with a ventilation system, complete with an alarm which would sound in the drivers cabin once the lorry's temperature rises above the maximum permissible level. Furthermore, they would have to provide around 40% more space for pigs, 16% more for cattle and 32% more for sheep of average weight than the existing rules stipulate. A spokesman for the Committee of Agricultural Organizations in the European Union said farmers are worried about the economic repercussions of moves to reduce the number of animals which trucks may carry. A draft law due to be adopted by the European Commission in July 2003 will mean that animals could not be transported for more than nine hours at a stretch. |
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