Brussels, 16/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg on Thursday 15 January, the European Parliament discussed compliance with the regulation on animal transport conditions. A large number of MEPs believe compliance is deficient in member states. These rules took effect during January 2007 and the EP has called on the European Commission to make a first report before suggesting further reports during the course of the year.
“In order to have a strong agriculture, we must also have a strong welfare policy”, said Neil Parish, speaking on behalf of the EP agriculture committee. The time has come to verify whether member states apply legislation in this respect, the British conservative said. “There are problems in some member states between national governments putting the legislation in place and the regional governments having to implement it”, Mr Parish, Committee Chairman, explained. However, “at the end of the day, it is the animals that suffer”, he said. He above all placed fault on the problems that exist in the transport of horses intended for slaughter. “A lot of horses at the end of their careers land up in salami in Italy and they do not travel under the best conditions in any respect”, he said.
According to Regulation 1/2005 on animal transport, member states must submit to the Commission by 30 June of each year at the latest an annual report on progress made in implementation, together with an analysis of the main inadequacies noted. European Commissioner Vladimir Spidla, speaking on behalf of the Commission, said that five countries (Cyprus, Lithuania, Malta, Bulgaria and Luxembourg) have not yet handed in the report for 2007. The Commission is working on a new proposal to strengthen rules to take the latest scientific discoveries into account on the duration of transport and the number of animals in each vehicle. Furthermore, studies have shown that new technologies (satellite surveillance of vehicles) allows better verification of compliance with the rules. He went on to add that two or three infringement procedures were underway, including that for Spanish Andalucia, and that inspections took place in six member states in 2008.
Struan Stevenson, on behalf of the EPP-ED, said he was pleased that rules on animal transport had been strictly observed in Scotland. This is not the case in some southern Mediterranean member states and in some of the new member states of Eastern Europe, and above all concerning the transport of horses to slaughter.
Rosa Miguelez Ramos of Spain, speaking for the PES, specified that the proposal for reform of the regulation on which the Commission is working concerns: - new technology; - the maximum duration of transport; - and the maximum and minimum temperatures in the vehicles carrying livestock. She called on the Commission to back with scientific evidence the changes it plans to propose to the current regulation.
Anne Jensen (ALDE, Denmark) expressed disappointment at the legislation saying it was not tough enough. She urged for maximum duration of transport for animals to be 8 hours. Researchers and veterinarians must, she believes, meet to define best practice.
According to Carl Schlyter (Greens/EFA, Sweden), “the way we treat animals is barbaric”. He called on the Commission to impose fines on countries that have not provided the reports required. He also called for transport times to be reduced.
Godfrey Bloom, representing the IND/DEM, deplored the “monstrously stupid avalanche” of rules applied to slaughterhouses which managed to close over 1,000 abattoirs in the United Kingdom and gave rise to much longer journey times for animals.
Slovenian ALDE member Drcar Murko Mojca suggested using mobile abattoirs to bring down the time animals need to be transported. Lydia Schenardi (NA) considered it “essential” to take local climate conditions into account, irrespective of the duration of transport. Transport lasting several hours in the Netherlands in spring is in no way comparable to the same duration of transport at the height of summer in a country such as Greece. “Should we not impose night-time transport in the last case?”, she asked. By way of conclusion, Mr Spidla said European norms in this field do exist and represent a civilised move forward. The debate has shown that these rules are not strictly applied. The Commission will do everything it can to improve inspections and controls. (L.C./transl.jl)