Animals' Angels e.V.
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Animals' Angels e.V.
ID: 992856223044-69
Lobbying Activity
Meeting with Tilly Metz (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Eurogroup for Animals and
20 Oct 2025 · Animal transport
Meeting with Thomas Waitz (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Eurogroup for Animals and
22 Jan 2025 · Animal welfare during transport
Response to Protection of animals during transport
12 Feb 2024
Summary of views On 7th December 2023, the European Commission published a proposal for a Regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005. Animals Angels welcomes the proposal, and we would like to thank Commissioner Stella Kyriakides and her team for their commitment to animal welfare. The revision of the EU animal transport rules is long overdue, and the proposal has the potential to improve the welfare of transported animals in many aspects. Particularly positive to emphasize is the introduction of journey time limits, especially, the journey time limit for animals intended for slaughter. Also, for breeding animals the proposal brings important improvement putting an end to endless transports. To reduce the total journey to nine, respectively, two times 21 hours is a reasonable compromise which should be supported. Furthermore, we highly welcome the intention of increasing space allowances including laying down clear provisions for headroom. Laying down temperature limits is urgently necessary. Other positive aspects are, e.g., the authorisation of organisers, the mandatory veterinary supervision of loadings, the mandatory appointment of animal welfare officers on livestock vessels, or the new rules to prevent assembly-centre-hopping. Yet other aspects fall short of expectations. First and above all, the fact that the proposal does not ban the export of live animals to third countries that offer no animal welfare guarantees whatsoever and do not implement the internationally agreed WOAH animal welfare standards. In our opinion, this is a complete paradox to the intensive animal welfare efforts in the EU. Citizens, politicians and even the EU industry want to increase animal welfare and a welcome, quite high effort is being made to achieve this. And at the same time, we want to continue, figuratively speaking, to give our animals a hard kick sending them to countries that do not attach any importance to animal welfare and where severe mistreatment is daily business? Other aspects that do not meet expectations, such as the foreseen exceptions for long transports of unweaned animals, especially referring to transports by roll-on-roll-off-vessels. Or, e.g., the handling of chicken and rabbits that worsened significantly, the transport of newborn rabbits and too young lambs and goat kids that would be allowed under the proposed regulation. Also, technical requirements of vehicles and their fittings remained unclear. E.g., concerning design of drinkers, or dangerous gaps in partitions. The exceptions e.g., for sport horses even if their transport is connected to economic activities are not plausible. It is also disappointing that no solution is provided for the case of import denial or that ships flying under a grey flag would be permitted. Also, it is worrying that the sanctioning system is still left to the discretion of the Member States. The proposal is a crucial step to improve animal welfare during transport. But ultimately it is just another compromise. Again, only symptoms are being treated instead of tackling the problem at its core. Only a consistent transport time limit for all categories of animals can solve the persistent animal welfare problems during transport. Short journeys can be problematic in relation to fitness for transport, especially in vulnerable animals, regarding handling and safe and stress-free operations and at high temperatures but most problems emerge during long journeys and certainly increase with the duration of the transport. Finally, we trust that everyone is aware that it is time to put an end to the ruthless exploitation of animals and that a fundamental rethink in favour of the animals is necessary. We regret that the Commission has not yet been able to take the step forward towards such sustainable, real change. Please download our complete comments here: www.animals-angels.de/comments
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