On 9 August, France presented its priorities for the revision of EU standards on farm animal welfare.
The French Ministry of Agriculture issued a reminder of the measures taken at national level (slaughterhouse modernisation plan, end of live castration of piglets, end of chick crushing, etc.) and calls on the Commission “not to create a situation where European livestock farming is once again placed in a situation of distortion of competition or loss of competitiveness”.
The French authorities are therefore proposing to the Commission that “mirror” measures be incorporated into the texts of the legislative package.
As far as the introduction of European animal welfare labelling is concerned, the French authorities are in favour of labelling animal products placed on the European market “on a voluntary basis”.
In addition, the French authorities consider that changes should be made in the light of new scientific knowledge.
They have asked the Commission to pay particular attention to the following proposals: - pain management, either by reducing it or by forbidding it if possible; - ban on the systematic elimination of male chicks in the egg sector; - compulsory appointment of an animal welfare officer on farms; - creating a European observatory for animal transport.
The European Commission is due to make proposals in this area in the second half of 2023 (see EUROPE 13167/4). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)