On 6 December, the European Commission plans to adopt a long-awaited proposal aimed at tightening Community rules on the transport of farm animals.
The Commission is proposing to set limits on journey times, depending on the species, but is not suggesting banning exports of live animals outside the EU. Operators will still have to ensure that EU requirements are applied throughout the journey, including outside the EU.
According to draft legislation (70 pages and 32 pages of appendices), which could change before the proposed Regulation is adopted at the next meeting of the College of European Commissioners, the Commission is advocating different transport limits for different animal species (see EUROPE 13299/8).
Maximum nine hours to the slaughterhouse. For cattle, pigs, goats and equines, the journey (for purposes other than slaughter) should not exceed 21 hours, with a compulsory one-hour break after 10 hours. If, at the end of this journey, the animals have been unloaded for at least 24 hours, the journey may be extended by a second period of 21 hours, subject to the same conditions.
If the trucks are destined for a slaughterhouse, the maximum journey time is nine hours. Exemptions may be granted for longer journeys if there is no suitable slaughterhouse nearby.
For poultry, the limit is set at 12 hours - 10 hours for hens at the end of their laying period. It is 24 hours for chicks, provided the journey takes place within 48 hours of hatching.
The Commission is planning a specific chapter for unweaned animals. The maximum journey time of eight hours may be waived for up to two successive nine-hour periods only if the means of transport is equipped with a system for feeding the animals.
The following are not considered fit for transport: injured animals, pregnant females for whom 80% or more of the gestation period has already elapsed, females who have given birth in the previous seven days, calves less than five weeks old and weighing less than 50 kg and piglets, lambs and kids less than three weeks old (unless they are being transported less than 50 km away).
Weather criteria. When transport takes place in temperatures below 0°C, the vehicle must be covered and its ventilation controlled to avoid exposing the animals to the risk of chilling. Below -5°C, transport time must be limited to nine hours.
In the case of high temperatures, the Commission suggests time slots. Between 25 and 30°C, the transport time of 10 to 21 hours must not exceed nine hours. Above 30°C, only journeys between 9pm and 10am would be tolerated.
The new rules will require road vehicles used to transport animals to be equipped with a real-time tracking and tracing system. Hauliers will be obliged to record the real-time position of their vehicles in the European ‘TRACES’ system. For transport by boat, the European Commission wants to make it compulsory for an officer to be specifically trained in animal welfare issues.
The Commission is proposing a series of measures to improve animal welfare during transport. A list of obligations has been drawn up (Appendix 1), which operators will have to meet. For example, criteria are established to define whether an animal can be considered fit for transport. Others concern the vehicle and are designed to minimise the risk of injury. There is also a minimum space requirement. Defined in square metres, it is calculated using a formula developed by the Commission and takes into account the type of species and the weight of each animal.
Certification for exports. There is no ban on the export of live animals to third countries. It is proposed that operators ensure that transport to these third countries complies with EU Regulations throughout the journey. “As the party responsible for planning a journey, the organiser must provide proof to the competent authorities of their ability to guarantee compliance with EU transport rules until the animals arrive at the establishment of destination”, states the draft text. And as official controls are not possible outside the borders of the EU, in order to guarantee compliance with European rules, exporters would have to be recognised by a certification body. Consignments of animals may only leave the EU via exit points designated by the Member States.
It is left to the Member States to lay down the rules on penalties for breaches of the Regulation, with the Commission requiring them to be “effective, proportionate and dissuasive”. Professionals would be given a five-year transition period to prepare for the new rules.
The Commission estimates that these proposals on slaughter and fattening would affect 1.4% of cattle and 0.2% of pigs in the EU. The impact would be greater for animals transported for breeding purposes (between 9% and 16% of cows, goats, pigs and sheep moved between Member States would be affected). The extra space allocated in the trucks will come at a cost to hauliers because of the need to buy additional trucks.
European Ombudsman. On 23 November, 30 NGOs lodged a formal complaint with the European Ombudsman against the Commission’s failure to honour its commitment to follow up the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) calling for an end to animal cages.
Finally, on 6 December, the Commission will respond to the ECI calling for an end to fur farming. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)