Some thirty NGOs defending animal protection sent a letter to representatives of European institutions on Friday 20 March asking them to adapt their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, “since long border delays are resulting in animal suffering”.
The NGOs call on the EU “to ban the transport of farm animals to non-EU countries, as well as journeys that last over eight hours”.
They are concerned that in the new EU guidelines for border management in times of pandemic, the European Commission insists that the transport of live animals between EU countries must continue.
“These guidelines disregard the severe problems imposed on the health and welfare of farm animals being transported, especially those transported between EU and non-EU countries”, explains Compassion in World Farming.
There is no shortage of examples: - vehicles transporting farm animals are refused entry into Croatia; - queues of 40 km at the border between Lithuania and Poland and queues on the German side of the border with Poland of 65 km leading to waiting times of 18 hours; - vehicles transporting farm animals are stuck in very long queues at the exit point between Bulgaria and Turkey.
The EU Council adopted conclusions in December 2019 calling for stricter animal welfare rules (see EUROPE 12391/31).
To consult the letter from these NGOs: https://bit.ly/2weKB9q (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)