Implementation report as regards Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport within and outside the EU
The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development adopted the own-initiative report by Jørn DOHRMANN (ECR, DK) on the implementation of Council Regulation No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport within and outside the EU.
The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Committee on Transport and Tourism, exercising their prerogatives as associated committees in accordance with Rule 54 of the Rules of Procedure, also gave their opinions on the report.
Key policy recommendations
Implementation and enforcement
Members regretted the fact that the degree of progress in implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 by Member States has been insufficient to meet the Regulation’s main objective, which is to improve animal welfare during transport, particularly in relation to the verification of journey logs and the application of penalties. They called on Member States to substantially improve compliance with the Regulation.
Several policy recommendations were made, aimed at improving its implementation.
The Commission is called on to:
- ensure an effective and uniform enforcement of existing EU legislation on animal transport across all Member States;
- develop a harmonised EU sanction system;
- draw up a list of operators who have perpetrated repeated and serious breaches of the Regulation;
- develop harmonised procedures to grant approval to vessels and trucks and to take action to prevent the spreading of infectious animal diseases through transport, both within the EU and from third countries;
- develop geolocation systems to enable tracking of the animals' location and the duration of journeys in transport vehicles.
Animal welfare strategy 2020-2024
Members also supported the new 2020-2024 animal welfare strategy and a clear definition of what constitutes fitness for transport and guidelines on how to assess it. They also want a science-based update of EU rules on transport vehicles to ensure:
- sufficient ventilation and temperature control,
- appropriate drinking systems and liquid feed,
- reduced stocking densities and specified sufficient minimum headroom, and
- vehicles adapted to the needs of each species.
Data collection, inspections and monitoring
Members regretted the difficulty of carrying out a coherent analysis of the implementation of the Regulation that exists owing to differing approaches to data collection between Member States.
They called on the Commission to set common minimum standards for tracing systems regarding all journeys in order to allow more harmonised data collection and assessment of the parameters monitored. The number of unannounced spot inspections should be increased.
Long journey times
Members insisted that the journey time for all animals being transported should be only as long as necessary and should be limited as far as possible. They suggested alternative strategies, such as local or mobile slaughter and meat processing facilities close to the place of rearing or on-farm slaughter, short distribution circuits and direct sales. Emergency slaughtering directly on the livestock and fattening farms should be allowed in the event that an animal is found to be unfit to be transported.
Members asked the Commission to carry out research on appropriate journey times for different species and to develop a strategy to shift from live animal transport mainly to transport of meat-and-carcass and germinal products, when possible.
Third countries and rest areas
Members stated that unless transport standards in non-EU countries are aligned with the EU ones and properly enforced, the EU should seek to mitigate the differences through bilateral agreements or, if not possible, ban transport of live animals to these countries.
They also called for EU states bordering non-EU countries to provide rest areas where animals could be unloaded and given food and water while waiting to leave the EU.