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Evaluation of the Animal Health Law

Food safety

The evaluation assesses if the animal health rules included in Regulation (EU) 20216/429 and rules adopted on its basis meet objectives, are proportionate, relate to current and emerging needs, align with other EU interventions, and if there is an EU added value. The evaluation also assesses whether the Regulation remains fit for its purpose.

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Public consultation

ID: 14036

Lobbying Activity

28 responses

Eurogroup for Animals urges welfare-focused Animal Health Law updates

Eurogroup for Animals, 3 Apr 2024

They want transport certificates to include fattening animals and health laws to incorporate welfare standards. The group also urges mandatory vet visits and inclusion of farmed insects in definitions.
Harmonisation would simplify compliance for stakeholders while advancing their animal protection goals.
Operators mislabeling animals to bypass transport time limits would lose their regulatory loophole.

IFOAM Organics Europe urges stronger recognition of organic farming systems

International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements EU Regional Group, 3 Apr 2024

The organization advocates for the strengthening of organic and high welfare practices within the law. They request that these systems receive coherent recognition for preventing disease and resistance.
Formal recognition of their practices would promote the widespread adoption of organic systems.
Conventional livestock producers lose competitiveness as organic models are prioritized for animal health.

Swedish farmers demand risk-based animal health and veterinary rules

Lantbrukarnas Riksförbund, 28 Mar 2024

LRF requests that the frequency of veterinary visits be adjusted based on risk. They also suggest including antibiotic-resistant infections as a listed risk factor for EU intervention. Finally, they demand that member states keep the ability to use measures to protect their disease status.
Risk-based visits would alleviate burdens caused by a lack of competent veterinarians.

Danish Agriculture Council seeks Animal Health Law technical updates

Landbrug Fødevarer - Danish Agriculture and Food Council, 3 Apr 2024

The council proposes a second testing phase to prevent killing healthy animals due to false positives. They also request that horse owners be permitted to voluntarily exclude animals from human consumption.
These adjustments would reduce the economic impact of food waste and lower compliance costs.

MSD urges EU-wide mandatory electronic identification for livestock

Merck Sharp Dohme Europe Belgium SRL, 29 Mar 2024

MSD requests EU-wide harmonization of electronic identification for all livestock. This would improve disease containment and data transparency across the food chain.
Mandatory digital identification would expand the market for MSD's connected animal health tools.
Producers using manual paper records would face mandatory technology costs and complexity.

Consultation response

Association de l'Aviculture, de l'Industrie et du Commerce de Volailles dans les Pays de l'Union Europeenne asbl, 3 Apr 2024

Please find attached AVEC/ELPHA/EPB feedback. Thank you.

UECBV Demands More Flexible EU Animal Health Transport Rules

Union Européenne du Commerce du Bétail et des Métiers de la Viande, 3 Apr 2024

UECBV calls for revising transport rules to allow one vehicle to deliver animals to multiple destinations. They also advocate for more proportionate movement restrictions during outbreaks of vector-borne diseases.
This would lower logistics costs and prevent trade shutdowns for livestock and meat operators.

AnimalhealthEurope Calls for More Vaccine Investment and Harmonised Rules

AnimalhealthEurope, 2 Apr 2024

The federation calls for a frequent update of tracked diseases and more funding for vaccine banks. They want the EU to foster an environment that encourages research and investment in new veterinary tools. Finally, they urge for harmonised veterinary visits to ensure consistent monitoring across Europe.
Standardised rules and more funding would increase demand for their veterinary products.
Member States would lose flexibility to set independent rules on animal medicines.

Four Paws urges mandatory EU registration for pet breeders

VIER PFOTEN International, 3 Apr 2024

Four Paws calls for the mandatory registration of all cat and dog breeders to combat illegal trafficking. They propose creating interoperable databases to track microchips, ownership, and animal health status across Member States.
Stricter tracking would help the organization stop the sale of illegally bred animals from unauthorized holdings.
Unscrupulous breeders lose the ability to hide intensive commercial activities under the guise of private keeping.

French agricultural cooperatives urge more flexible animal health rules

La Coopération Agricole, 3 Apr 2024

The group urges an easing of the three-operation assembly limit for livestock. They advocate for a European protocol for emerging diseases to mitigate financial impacts. Finally, they request administrative improvements to simplify the heavy TRACES system.
Reducing cleaning frequency and streamlining digital systems would lower logistics and administrative costs.
Relaxed cleaning standards could potentially increase biosecurity risks for the wider livestock population.

European veterinarians urge better implementation of animal health visits

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, 3 Apr 2024

The organization calls for more consistent implementation of mandatory animal health visits. They also demand streamlined paperwork to reduce administrative burdens on practitioners.
Reducing administrative requirements would improve service quality and veterinary mental well-being.

Consultation response

European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders, 3 Apr 2024

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute. You will find attached the contribution of European Animal Breeders of EFFAB. Breeding animals and their genetic material play an important role in ensuring high levels of animal health and welfare; through their special health status and through…

Born Free urges stricter wildlife trade rules to prevent pandemics

The Born Free Foundation, 3 Apr 2024

The organization calls for a shift from containing outbreaks to primary prevention of pathogen emergence. They demand stricter regulation or prohibition of trade in high-risk species like primates and bats. Additionally, they advocate for integrating animal welfare and aligning rules with transport regulations.
Investing in primary prevention would offer significant cost savings compared to pandemic fallout.
Commercial wildlife traders and markets would face severe restrictions or bans on their operations.

Djurens R$tt Urges Shifting Focus From Health to Welfare

Djurens Rätt, 3 Apr 2024

Replace 'animal health' with 'animal welfare' and prioritize vaccination over culling. Expand tracking for animals moved for rearing and mandate pet registration. Include farmed insects in terrestrial animal definitions to improve protections.
This would advance their goal of respecting animals as sentient beings.
Public authorities would face stricter transparency requirements regarding animal culling numbers.

Green REV Institute Urges Urgent Shift to Plant-Based Systems

Green REV Institute, 2 Apr 2024

The organization calls for an urgent green transformation of the food system toward plant-based alternatives to protect public health. They demand stricter controls on antibiotic use and a ban on live animal transport to reduce disease risks.
These changes would advance their mission of dismantling industrial animal farming and promoting plant-based advocacy.
The industrial livestock sector faces significant economic disruption and potential phase-out of their current business model.

Consultation response

Unión de Uniones de Agricultores y Ganaderos, 3 Apr 2024

El concepto «Una sola salud» resume, según la Organización Mundial de Sanidad Animal, la interdependencia entre sanidad animal, la salud de los seres humanos y de las plantas y su vinculación asimismo con los ecosistemas en los que viven. Desde Unión de Uniones de Agricultores y Ganaderos se…

Consultation response

Fédération Européenne pour la Santé Animale et la Sécurité Sanitaire, 3 Apr 2024

FESASS thanks the Commission for launching this process of evaluating the Animal Health Law and its delegated and implementing regulations. The issues at stake are of the utmost importance. As has been rightly so pointed out in the call for evidence, the effectiveness of the regulatory framework…

World Horse Welfare urges digital IDs to stop horse smuggling

World Horse Welfare, 3 Apr 2024

The organization calls for a shift to a fully digital identification system to replace vulnerable paper passports. They demand that all equine movements, including overnight stays and markets, be recorded in a centralized database. They also argue the distinction between registered and non-registered horses should be abolished for health purposes.
Digitalization would reduce administrative costs for compliant owners while improving enforcement against illegal trade.
Smugglers and fraudulent traders would lose the ability to hide animal origins using falsified paper documents.

Consultation response

PETA Deutschland e.V., 3 Apr 2024

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, in der beigefügten Anlage erhalten Sie die Stellungnahme von PETA Deutschland e.V. zur Revision des Animal Health Law mit der Bitte um Kenntnisnahme.

Consultation response

Fédération Nationale des Groupements de Défense Sanitaire, 3 Apr 2024

GDS France remercie la Commission pour cette consultation publique. Il est en effet essentiel de procéder à lévaluation du nouveau cadre règlementaire de la Santé Animale dans lUnion Européenne. La protection du cheptel européen, la sûreté et la sécurité alimentaire de lUnion ainsi que la…

Consultation response

Djurskyddet Sverige, 3 Apr 2024

Djurhälsa kan inte fullt ut adresseras utan att ta hänsyn till djurvälfärd, eftersom djurhälsa är en del av djurvälfärdsbegreppet. Vi menar att djurvälfärdsaspekten ska beaktas i högre grad inom EU-lagstiftningen. Studier visar att förbättringar av djurvälfärd bidrar till bättre djurhälsa, vilket i…

Consultation response

Bundestierärztekammer e.V., 3 Apr 2024

Mit dem call for evidence macht die EU-Kommission auf dem öffentlichen Portal Have Your Say den ersten Schritt zur Evaluierung des Animal Health Law (VO (EU) 2016/429). Die Bundestierärztekammer möchte die Gelegenheit nutzen, zu den aufgeworfenen Fragen eine erste kurze Einschätzung zu übermitteln.…

Consultation response

Syndicat de la Vitellerie Française, 3 Apr 2024

Le SDVF félicite la Commission européenne de la tenue de cette consultation qui est la bienvenue pour évaluer la LSA. Les textes très nombreux et très denses ne peuvent pas être tous commentés. Le SDVF se focalisera via quelques commentaires généraux sur la partie I de la LSA. En cas de maladie…

Consultation response

Association européenne des marchés aux bestiaux, 3 Apr 2024

The European Association of Livestock Markets (AEMB), created in 1983, represents 6 national federations representing 359 livestock markets. These markets are responsible for the sale (by auction or private treaty) of over 22 million head of cattle, sheep, pigs and horses. Livestock markets are an…

Consultation response

Verband der Fleischwirtschaft e. V., 3 Apr 2024

Die Stellungnahme des Verbands der Fleischwirtschaft können Sie anliegendem Dokument entnehmen.

Consultation response

GardDjurhalsan, 2 Apr 2024

1. AHL bidrar genom nya regler vad avser överförbara djursjukdomar till att säkerställa livsmedelssäkerhet och djurhälsa. Intentionerna vad avser att uppdatera listningen av sjukdomar som ska omfattas av EU interventioner är goda och uppnås i lagen. Dock måste en MS kunna skydda sig med…

Consultation response

Ornamental Fish International, 2 Apr 2024

The European Pet Organization (EPO) representing the voice of the pet sector in Europe, and Ornamental Fish International (OFI) the international trade association representing the ornamental fish industry - would like to thank the European Commission for affording stakeholders the opportunity to…

Consultation response

Bundesverband für fachgerechten Natur-, Tier- und Artenschutz e.V., 27 Mar 2024

To whom it may concern, please find attached the feedback of BNA, Germany, on the revision of AHL in the pdf document attached to this comment. If you may have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Sincerly yours Martin Singheiser BNA Managing Director