Germany’s Federal Minister for Agriculture Julia Klöckner argued before MEPs on Thursday 29 October in favour of a revision of the 2005 regulation on the protection of animals during transport.
The German Minister, acting President of the Agriculture Council, informed the board of inquiry on the protection of animals during transport of her ambitious position on this matter. “We need to reduce long-distance transport of animals”, she said, in response to questions from, among others, Daniel Buda (EPP, Romania), Carmen Avram (S&D, Portugal) and Caroline Roose (Greens/EFA, France).
Ms Klöckner gave examples of confusing provisions in the text: the freedom for animals to move their heads, transport times, the provision of feed and water for animals. “There are things that are sorely lacking” in this text, the German minister stressed. In addition, some EU countries play by the rules, while others “are more lax”, she criticised. She says we need to be much stricter.
Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark have asked the Commission to review the situation of farm animal transport within the EU. Ms Klöckner recalled her ideas on the introduction of animal welfare labelling. However, EU countries are divided on this issue, which is expected to remain on the agenda of the Agriculture Council in December.
She also referred to the problem of transport of live animals to non-Member States, stressing the need to prohibit transport if these countries do not respect the welfare rules or when it is too hot. Fewer animals must be transported and the emphasis must be on the transport of meat, Ms Klöckner argued. The EU must be exemplary when it comes to animal protection, she concluded. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)