Brussels, 16/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - Following a meeting with representatives from circuses and animal protection organisations, European elected representative of the CDU, Doris Pack, announced an initiative for next autumn in favour of European rules for the circus industry. If I am re-elected next June, I will campaign for "unitarian rules for the problems faced daily by European circuses", Mrs Pack stated in a communiqué. Mrs Pack claimed that it is not acceptable to have a European directive for zoos, which are set up in a fixed place and, according to her, come under the principle of subsidiarity, while circuses move all over Europe, "set up their tents and have to face very different regulations" from one country to another.
Recalling that in Europe there are approximately 1000 circuses, of which 400 in Germany alone, Mrs Pack raised a series of concrete problems: - circus children's education, as they are constantly moving; - security standards, whether it is a case of tent size or fire hazards, for example; - possible restrictions as regards visas for circus staff; - the treatment of the circus animals. The pressure exerted by "so-called animal protection organisations" in Belgium should not lead to a ban on wild animals in circus shows, states the Saar elected representative, who is in favour of regulations protecting circus animals at a European level that are the same as those in Germany.