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Animal Welfare Foundation e.V.

AWF

The Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) is based in Germany and is an independent, non-profit, and international animal welfare organisation.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Lynn Boylan (Member of the European Parliament)

16 Jul 2025 · Blood farms and PMSG production

Meeting with Stefan Köhler (Member of the European Parliament)

18 Jun 2025 · Politischer Austausch

Meeting with Anja Hazekamp (Member of the European Parliament) and Eurogroup for Animals and

19 Feb 2025 · Event animal transport

Response to The European Oceans Pact

13 Feb 2025

According to Paris MoU livestock carriers are considered the most dangerous fleet in the world in terms of detention and deficiencies. They are a hazard not only for transported animals but also for the crew as well as to the environment. Age is one of the risk factors. The Paris MoU ship risk calculator allocates one risk point to a vessel over 12. The average age of 64 livestock carriers EU-approved is 41 years. The oldest is 60 y.o and only 2 are younger than 20 y.o. 89.5% of livestock carriers had one deficiency or more recorded by PSC in 2022. 94% have been converted from general cargo ships, Ro-Ro, car carriers, reefers and container ships at an average age of 30 - an age when they should have been scrapped. Yet, the conversion to livestock carrier is not questioned, neither with regards maritime safety nor animal welfare. And the disasters like sinking of Queen Hind (2019) in Romania, Haidar in Brazil (October 2015) or more recently like the Al Badri I in Sudan (June 2022) confirms that these vessels should never been allowed into the waters. Therefore, thousands of animals have died, and their bodies drowned, some could have been washed up on the beaches. Also, those vessels deteriorate in the place of abandonment, being an additional threat to the environment like an oil spill. The Paris MoU report from 2022 states that, globally, the detention rate is the highest in 10 years, and fears stakeholders, obviously failed to ensure a proper maintenance and control of ships. Most of the deficiencies pose a threat to animal welfare, health, and safety: in particular with regard to certificates and documentation, safety of navigation, fire safety, the Maritime Labour Convention-2006, lifesaving appliances, working and living conditions, pollution prevention, water/weathertight conditions, propulsion and auxiliary machinery, emergency systems, radio communications, structural conditions, and ISM. As part of maritime strategy and in the framework of Paris MoU, the European Union is engaged in identifying substandard flags and considers that vessels flying these flags should be targeted as a priority. But nearly half (48%) of the EU-approved livestock carriers are precisely flying such substandard, black-listed flags. Increasing volumes of live animal export by sea pose environmental concerns and risks to marine life. Violations of the MARPOL Convention are inherent in the transport of live animals on livestock vessels (Annex V MARPOL) due to: 1) the illegal disposal of animal carcasses in marine protected zones, such as the Mediterranean and Black Seas (carcasses discharged in special areas is regular practise due to the lack of reception facilities in the destination ports, additional expenses of carcass disposal, and requirements of EU law); and 2) discharge of hundreds of thousands of litres of cargo residues (manure mixed with straw or pellet and chemicals for disinfection are washed down from the vessels decks after each journey on their return to European ports. The mixture is dumped untreated into the sea, at the expense of the marine environment and society. AWF calls for a) make the classification of livestock vessels by an IACS member Society obligatory; b) develop a global standard for all livestock vessels based on the minimum standards of Marine Order 43 and OIE guidelines; c) investigate MARPOL violations regularly committed in special sea areas (including vessels passing by EU waters for example from South America transporting tens of thousands of animals). The transport of livestock by sea is a neglected issue, regarding animal welfare, safety for crews, as well as regarding the pollution generated by the substandard vessels used for this trade. Considering all the above there is a need to include additional requirements and provisions for livestock carriers in the new Ocean Pact to protect not only the sea but also a crew life working on those ships.
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Meeting with Thomas Waitz (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Eurogroup for Animals and

22 Jan 2025 · Animal welfare during transport

Meeting with Anja Hazekamp (Member of the European Parliament) and Compassion in World Farming International

21 Jan 2025 · Preparation event animal transport

Meeting with Andrea Gavinelli (Head of Unit Health and Food Safety)

21 Jan 2025 · AWL position on the Commission proposal for the Regulation on protection of animals during transport

Meeting with Michal Wiezik (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Dec 2024 · Animal transports

Meeting with Benedetta Scuderi (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Sept 2024 · Animals welfare

Meeting with Thomas Waitz (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Compassion in World Farming Brussels

25 Sept 2024 · Tierschutz

Meeting with Maria Ohisalo (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Sept 2024 · Animal welfare

Meeting with Carolina Morace (Member of the European Parliament) and European Cancer Organisation and DSW (Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung)

24 Sept 2024 · Introductory Meeting

Response to Protection of animals during transport

10 Apr 2024

AWF STATEMENT ABOUT THE NEW DRAFT OF TRANSPORT REGULATION. Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF)has long pushed for the Revision of the EU Regulation on the transport of animals and welcomes the Commission's proposal. A large body of evidence was provided on existing gaps and enforcement problems during years by NGOs, Scientific bodies and Committees. However, the proposed measures are not sufficient as they have not integrated the 3R principle: Reducing, Refining and Replacing transport of live animals. The proposal for animal transport falls short of making significant improvements for the welfare of animals. It still permits long journeys for animals within the EU and to third countries. The proposal fails to introduce measures which favor the slaughter of animals locally, thus replacing the transport of live animals with the transport of carcasses, meat, or semen. SOME OF THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF ECS PROPOSAL: Requirements for transport of fish Specifics for transport of animals in containers Measures to make assembly center hopping more difficult Good definitions of the place of departure and destination Space allowances partly updated with EFSA recommendations Provisions of minimum vertical height Definition of minimum age of unweaned animals Specific requirements for feeding unweaned animals Financial penalties for serious infringements OUR MAIN CRITICISM: The proposed legislation does not fully integrate EFSA´s scientific recommendations, there are long transitional periods. The requirements for better control of Third Country animal exports are bureaucratic in and will in practice not ensure better protection of animals during these transports. 1. Stop to live animal exports to non-EU countries. There is no economic imperative for live export its needless cruelty: there is neither a cultural nor religious reason why animals cannot be slaughtered in their country of origin and exported as carcasses. This is strengthened by the fact that importing countries already import frozen or chilled meat . It is unethical to force animals to suffer in the live export trade when there is a viable and more economically valuable alternative. Exporters and operators of livestock vessels ignore MARPOL requirements for the protection of the sea and cause serious damage to the marine environment by dumping dead animals and manure into the sea. In Half of the EU-approved livestock carriers fly the flag of a country listed as a black flag by Paris MoU. these vessels pose an extremely high risk to maritime traffic, to the lives of the animals, and crew on board. 2. 8-hour journey time limit for all animal categories, for all modes of transport and for species and category-specific reduced journey times and a maximum journey time of 4 hours for the transport of animals in containers and vulnerable animals. 3. Species- and category-specific temperature limits in line with EFSA recommendations for all modes of transport and temperatures inside the means of transport should be monitored as well as the humidity. Additionally, AWF calls for a ban on journeys when the outside temperature is below -5˚C. 4. Minimum space allowances for all weight categories of animals. The animals must be able to stand in a natural position, lie down rest and reach drinkers. 5. Minimum transport age of unweaned animals: 8 weeks for calves, 6 weeks for lambs and goat kids and 4 weeks for piglets. Ban transport of unweaned animals. 6. Transport age for rabbits to be raised to 3 weeks until they are weaned. 7. Ban on the transport of pregnant females over 40% of gestation. 8. Mandatory authorization for journeys of less than 9 hours. 10. Handling practices not compromise animal welfare. 11. Loading /unloading supervised competent authority. 12. Vessel approval standards in the European Union need to be upgraded, and dangerous vessels should be eliminated. 13. Road and sea vehicles should be equipped with additional tools CCTV, humidity sensor
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Meeting with Thomas Waitz (Member of the European Parliament) and Animals International (The global arm of Animals Australia)

1 Feb 2022 · Animal Transport

Meeting with Thomas Waitz (Member of the European Parliament) and Animals International (The global arm of Animals Australia)

5 Jan 2022 · Animal Transport

Meeting with Anja Hazekamp (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Nov 2021 · Animal Tranport Calf

Meeting with Anja Hazekamp (Member of the European Parliament) and Eurogroup for Animals

15 Mar 2021 · Animal transport