By Martin Banks - 30th January 2012
The current regulation is largely unenforceable
World Horse Welfare
The charity World Horse Welfare has warned that the commission's recently-announced animal welfare strategy gives "horses short shrift".
It says the commission's long-awaited strategy released earlier this month does not address the key issues impacting the welfare of horses.
The strategy, launched on 19 January by European health and consumer policy commissioner John Dalli, follows an evaluation of 20 years of animal welfare policy and sets out the future actions proposed to improve the treatment and welfare of animals in the EU up until 2015.
However, the document was criticised by animal welfare and industry groups for its "lack of ambition" and failure to address key issues, including the shortcomings of the current transportation rules.
World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers said, "This is the second time in two months that the commission has chosen to ignore the calls of its citizens and MEPs to rectify the terrible conditions and needlessly long journeys of horses transported to slaughter across Europe."
He added, "In November, the commission had the opportunity to improve animal welfare by proposing changes to existing legislation.
"However, despite acknowledging that 'severe animal welfare problems persist' and that the long journey times endured by horses do not conform to the recommendations of their own scientific advisors, they proposed no changes."
The long-distance transportation of horses across Europe to slaughter has become a high-profile issue and the focus of concern among EU citizens and MEPs.
Owers said that public support for changes to the existing transportation legislation affecting horses is evidenced by a written declaration to stop the "needless" practice signed by a majority of MEPs in 2010.
He also pointed to another petition in circulation which calls for a maximum eight-hour journey limit for all animals intended for slaughter and has been signed by more than one million people.
The commission has indicated that improved enforcement of its transport regulation and guidance should be the priority to improve welfare during transport.
Owers said, "We agree entirely that robust enforcement of the regulation is a key part of the solution, but the reality is that the current regulation is largely unenforceable, not least because current journeys are limitless and hence can go through multiple member states which poses great logistical challenges - something the commission itself admits.
"It is for this reason, and clear scientific evidence that horses suffer during long-distance journeys, that we believe an amendment to the law to include a short, maximum journey limit of nine- to-12 hours for all non-registered equines is an essential part of the solution to the current horrific suffering that tens of thousands of horses endure every year."
He added, "We are also perplexed that parliament and the commission have agreed to remove the compulsory labelling of horsemeat from the forthcoming labelling regulations despite all other meats being covered.
"This had been promised at the last strategy and would have informed consumers where the horses from which the meat was obtained were reared and slaughtered, so providing them with an informed choice.
"We are now calling on the commission to introduce proposals for a short, finite journey limit for horses and other equidae destined to slaughter or further fattening, and for horse meat to be labelled in line with other meats so that consumers can make an informed choice.
"The status quo is nothing less than abuse, is scientifically discredited, and unacceptable to the public and MEPs."
