On Monday 30 January in Brussels, the majority of EU agriculture ministers opposed a ban on the transport of farm animals over long distances or to third countries.
However, the ministers of several countries (Spain, France, Portugal) have called for the development of alternative solutions, such as the transport of meat or genetic products.
Portugal, supported by several countries (Cyprus, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Spain), presented a paper calling for a revision of EU animal welfare rules, but not a ban on the transport of live animals to third countries (see EUROPE 13103/4).
The Portuguese minister, Maria do Céu Antunes, said that the transport of animals was fundamental, “if we want our agricultural production system to work well”.
Portugal, Spain and France, in particular, have supported the development of alternatives to the transport of live animals, such as the transport of meat or genetic products and materials, “where possible”, said Marc Fesneau, the French minister.
However, France is not in favour of the proposals put forward by the Netherlands, Denmark and Luxembourg in particular “for an outright ban on the transport of animals to third countries”. Such a measure would disrupt the production chain, said France and Spain, among others.
Several ministers also protested against a ban on the transport of live animals, including those from Ireland, Romania, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Latvia and Estonia.
Cem Özdemir, the German minister, has “high expectations” of the Commission’s future proposals. He called for the application of the most recent recommendations of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), including maximum and minimum animal transport temperatures and transport times. The review of these rules is part of the EU’s ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy and the ‘European Green Deal’, he insisted.
“Doing nothing is not an option!”. EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said that “If science and experience tell us that certain practices in transport are detrimental to the welfare of animals, we must consider ways of adjusting those practices. Doing nothing is not an option”. The Commission will present proposals in 2023 to review EU animal welfare legislation.
In the meantime, the Commissioner welcomed the support of Member States for the ongoing work on implementing acts which “improve several animal welfare control measures on livestock vessels leaving the EU, including the presence of a veterinarian on board for the first journey”. This legislation will soon be adopted.
Link to the document from Portugal: https://aeur.eu/f/54i (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)