On Thursday 4 June, the European Commission published a study in support of its proposals currently under negotiation to replace paper documents with a real-time digital system to improve the welfare of animals during transport (see EUROPE 13772/11).
Carried out by NTT Data Belgium and Network Research Belgium, the study details the contours of this reform, based on the TRACES platform, geolocation tracking and a dedicated mobile application. The aim is threefold: to put an end to retroactive checks, reduce fraud and lighten the administrative burden on transporters.
Since 2005, animal transport in the EU has been governed by Regulation 1/2005, which is still based on paper documents, in particular theAnimal Journey Log (AJL). This system has a number of shortcomings: checks are carried out after the event (sometimes several weeks after transport, making it impossible to intervene in an emergency), there is a heavy administrative burden associated with double or even triple data entry, and there is an increased risk of fraud, such as the falsification of time stamps or certificates, with control practices varying from one Member State to another.
The study proposes making the use of TRACES compulsory for AJLs. The platform, which is already used for health certificates, would incorporate rules for automatically validating compliance, such as calculating space requirements or checking temperatures based on meteorological data. It would also ensure interoperability with national systems, to avoid duplication and enable instant verification of certificates.
Another pillar of the reform is real-time geolocation tracking. Geofencing would automatically detect entrances and exits in key areas (departure point, checkpoints, destination). An intermediary service would filter the GPS data to transmit only the relevant compliance events to TRACES.
Two options are envisaged for transport operators: a free mobile application for small operators and integration with existing fleet management systems for large companies.
Finally, an all-in-one mobile application would be made available to drivers and vets. It would enable complete management of digital AJLs, offer integrated tools (space calculator, weather data), operate in offline mode in areas without a network and offer the option of uploading photos or videos as evidence. A messaging system with automatic translation would also facilitate cross-border communication.
Link to the study: https://aeur.eu/f/m6q (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)