Brussels, 24/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - During a debate on Monday 23 November in Strasbourg, MEPs asked the Commission whether it intended to adopt a new EU strategy on the protection and welfare of reared animals. On Thursday 26 November, the European Parliament (EP) may possibly adopt a resolution on this theme, following an oral question by Czes³aw Adam Siekierski (EPP, Poland), on Monday, on behalf of the EP's agriculture Committee.
The Commission communication on the European Union strategy for animal protection and welfare for the 2012-15 period received a warm welcome from the European Parliament because it established a clear roadmap for action to take in the framework of Union policy for animal welfare over a five-year period. Siekierski asked the Commission if it wanted to draw up a new strategy for animal protection and welfare for the 2016-20 period.
MEPs presented a number of options for a framework for animal welfare law, a new animal strategy, or a European Union platform for animal welfare with strong enforcement, or a situation to evaluate the current strategy. The Commissioner responsible for this dossier, Vytenis Andriukaitis, did not provide a direct answer to the question but emphasised that the Commission priority was to work on the completion of action that needed to be taken in the context of the 2012-15 strategy.
On the question of strengthening enforcement of the rules, he pointed out that a very extensive set of rules already existed, covering many species, including broilers, laying hens and pigs, in addition to many activities, such as transport, slaughter and animal testing and products such as cat and dog food and seal products. The Commissioner intends to work on the question of improving compliance with a requirement to prohibit the routine tail docking of pigs and on the finalisation and adoption of guidelines on the welfare of pigs, as foreseen by the animal welfare strategy. Andriukaitis is also looking forward to the outcomes of the ambitious pilot project on best practices on animal transport (the project runs from 2015 to 2018).
Given that the current animal welfare strategy expires at the end of this year, the Commissioner explained, “we are evaluating further steps” and in 2016 the Commission will be launching a new Eurobarometer Survey on animal welfare which will represent a useful source of information, in view of assessing what future steps would be taken. Some MEPs, particularly from the EPP group, highlighted the importance of ensuring coherency between legislation on animal welfare and the impact that this can have on animal rearing models in Europe. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)