16/12/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 16 December, the EU Council of Ministers adopted without debate the conclusions calling for a further development of animal welfare legislation (see EUROPE 12379/9). The EU Council underlines that existing requirements, which should be further developed, concern, in particular, animal transport, pig welfare, painful procedures and animal welfare indicators. It stresses that the conditions for animal slaughter can be improved, in particular by encouraging scientific research on stunning and ‘simple stunning’. The Commission is invited to assess the need for new legislation in several areas: cattle at least six months old, farmed rabbits, pullets, dogs and cats, but also turkeys, broiler and laying hen breeders, sheep, goats and farmed fish. Link to the text: http://bit.ly/2Enoj5y (LC)