Brussels, 28/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - An EU regulation scrapping live cattle export subsidies (for slaughter) came into force on 24 December 2005. EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said the time had come to scrap the subsidies and that prospects for the beef market were healthy so there was no longer any reason to justify this farm aid (see EUROPE 9095). In 2005 so far, 66301 head of cattle have been exported to Lebanon for slaughter, up from 125825 for 2005. (At the same time, Brazil has increased live cattle exports to 84000 head of cattle in the first six months of 2005, compared with only 1000 in 2003.)
Compassion in World Farming welcomed the decision, explaining it would be focussing campaigns on ending live cattle exports from Brazil and Australia to the Middle East. In a press release, the French 'Federation francaise des commercants en bestiaux' slammed the end of EU export subsidies for live cattle sad being based on arguments denying operators' work and investment to meet regulations and the animal welfare demands of civil society and failing to take account of the economic reality facing the industry.
Eurogroup for Animal Welfare welcomes the decision. Sonja van Tichelen, Director of Eurogroup for Animal Welfare, said: 'There has been very high public concern against exporting European farm animals for third countries where they are slaughtered in a manner that is illegal in the EU.' She pointed out that the news comes after the recent conclusion of the WTO Summit in Hong Kong, where it was announced that all forms of farm export subsidies should be phased out by the end of 2013 (see EUROPE 9093). With this decision, Sonja van Tichelen says the European Commission is conveying a clear message that the protection of farm animals is important, both to the public and decision-makers alike, and as such set 'a moist positive example to the rest of the world'.