Brussels, 07/05/2010 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on Wednesday 5 May, the European Parliament adopted the report by Marit Paulsen (ALDE, Sweden) which makes a positive assessment of the Community animal protection and welfare action plan over the period from 2006 to 2010. The EP notes that the vast majority of the measures provided for have been put in place and that there have been positive developments on animal welfare. However, the assessment also noted that EU farmers had not reaped the fruit of their efforts on the market or in international trade. The resolution stated that a high level of animal protection, from the farm to slaughter, has had an impact on the safety and the quality of products and brought great benefit to EU consumers. MEPs welcomed the significant reduction in the use of antibiotics for animals after they were banned in the EU as growth promoters.
The EP highlighted the need for better monitoring of application and tightening up of the legislation for the 2011-2015 plan, in particular, in the directives on pigs, animal transport and use of antibiotics in husbandry. Parliament called on the Commission to bring forward, by 2014, a proposal for general animal welfare legislation for the EU, based the available science and proven experience.
MEPs also suggested that European farmers be compensated for the higher production costs associated with higher animal welfare standards. They called for more comprehensive protection to avoid competition within the EU and with third countries and for animal welfare to be taken into account in negotiations at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). MEPs said there should be greater coordination among the authorities in the area, by means of a European network of reference centres. The success of the animal welfare policy, they said, required citizens to be informed by means, for example, of product labelling which makes reference to animal welfare. (C-C.G./transl.rt)