Protection of animals during transport within and outside the EU: draft report

The rapporteur is of the view that the following key policy recommendations should be put in place:

• Animal journey times should be reduced as far as possible, in particular long and very long journey times; this can be best a chieved through a range of alternative strategies, such as economically viable local slaughter facilities, replacing the transport of breeding animals by using semen or embryos, as well as transportation of carcasses and meat;
• It is recommended that the Commission should update the rules based on the latest scientific knowledge and technology;
• The Commission should develop a full working definition of what constitutes fitness and provide training courses to farmers, drivers and veterinarians in order to reduce the high levels of fitness infringements;
• The upcoming CAP reform should maintain and step reinforce the link between CAP payments and improved animal welfare conditions which fully respect or go beyond the standards set out in Regulation 1/2005;
• It is recommended that, unless animal transport standards in third countries are aligned with those of the EU, live animal transport journeys to third c ountries should be forbidden.

DRAFT REPORT on the implementation of Council Regulation No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport within and outside the EU