By Henrietta Billings - 23rd November 2004
Europe's farming ministers have thrashed out an agreement on new rules governing the welfare and long-distance transport of live animals.
Earlier attempts to reach a deal on this dossier floundered in April with ministers unable to agree on how far maximum journey times should be cut.
But in a comprise text offered up by the Dutch EU presidency in September, changes to journey times were dropped, in return for a raft of less contentious commitments related to animal welfare during transport that were given the go-ahead by ministers on Monday.
“These new animal transport rules will significantly improve animal welfare," said EU health and consumer protection chief Markos Kyprianou after the decision on Monday, although he admitted that the Commission would have liked to have seen a deal reached on reduced journey times.
"My ambition would have been to reduce travelling times and stocking densities further, but member states remain deeply split on this."
"My main aims are to minimise the stress that animals go through and to ensure that they arrive at their destination as fast as possible."
"The Regulation will also define who is responsible for what and when, which will help enormously in ensuring that the rules are properly enforced.”
Permitted travelling times remain unchanged - pigs can be transported for 24 hours without a break, but with permanent access to water, and horses can travel for up to 24 hours, with water every eight hours.
Young animals still on milk can be transported for 18 hours with a one hour break, and cattle, sheep and goats can be in transit for 29 hours with a one hour break.
The new rules include improved training and certification of animal transporters, the introduction of vehicle inspection and approval and a review on journey times and space allowances within four years of coming into force.
Denmark, who had lobbied for tighter limits on the time animals can spend in transit voted against the new laws.
Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and Sweden abstained with the rest of the 25 nation-bloc voting in favour.
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