Revision of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport

Summary:

The revision of the animal welfare legislation announced by the Commission in May 2020 is a core element of the farm to fork strategy. It includes the revision of Council Regulation (EC) N° 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport. The aim is to ensure harmonisation of rules for effective enforcement and implementation, the core challenge being to strike a balance between ethical, economic, environmental and social considerations. The transport of billions of animals within and outside the EU has considerable economic benefits, but it also has a major impact on public health, the environment and society, and increasingly triggers public attention around ethical considerations. Various stakeholders and the public demand better implementation of the existing rules, question practices such as the export of live animals, and ask for alternative solutions. This briefing provides an overview of the main issues raised by the application of the current Council Regulation and matters surrounding its revision in light of the Commission's 2022 fitness check on animal welfare legislation and other reports published by European institutions. It highlights, when possible, Member States' positions. In December 2023, the Commission presented its new proposal, with a view to replacing and updating Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.

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