BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) – Despite the European Commission’s attempt to improve transport rules for farm animals trucked across Europe, animal rights activists said cattle and pigs could still have to endure horrendous conditions.
The EU’s executive proposed stricter rules for the trade affecting 17.5 million animals a year, aimed at bridging a bitter split between northern and southern member states.
Farm ministers will debate the draft in October.
“The status quo is not acceptable,” EU consumer protection commissioner David Byrne told a news conference. “Citizens want animals to be treated in a dignified manner.”
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But animal welfare campaigners criticized the proposal for falling at the first hurdle by failing to impose an eight-hour time limit on journeys.
“We have accumulated … a mountain of evidence of animal suffering during long journeys,” said David Wilkins, head of the campaign group Eurogroup for Animal Welfare.
“The only practical solution is to apply an absolute limit of eight hours on all road journeys.”
But Byrne said his proposal, where animals would face a maximum nine-hour travel period followed by 12 hours of rest, with the possibility of continuing the long-distance journey, took account of polarized views among member states.
Nine countries favour an eight-hour time limit but five southern states, along with Ireland, say such a restriction would destroy their meat industry.
They argue that tougher enforcement of the rules, better vehicles for transporting animals and training of animal handlers will stop suffering, not time limits.
Byrne has tightened rules in these areas and estimated the proposal will increase animal transport costs by 20 percent.
“The provisions we’re bringing forward, with a small increase in cost, will allow the trade to continue into the future,” he said.
