The EU is about to change the rules for the transportation of live animals and requires the use of harsh measures against Member States that are not capable to comply.  Under the welfare policy of animals, it is also planned to check carriers' vehicles.

This is reported by Meat-Info.

"The transport chain participants have to comply with their obligations, whether they are farmers, animal traders, veterinarians or transport companies.  EU member states are obliged to comply with these rules properly or by finding new policy tools to apply new technologies and minimize transportation time, "said deputy Jorn Dohrman.  His initiative was adopted by the European Parliament with 411 votes.  43 parliamentarians were against, 110 - abstained.

EU countries should pursue violations of "effective and harmonized sanctions", including vehicle confiscation and compulsory retraining of staff.  Members of the European Parliament also want to introduce modern technologies to improve compliance with existing rules, including geolocation systems for monitoring the location of animals and travel time, as well as real-time feedback between points of departure and arrival.

Members of the European Parliament also want a scientifically grounded update of the EU rules on vehicles to contribute to adequate  temperature control, and trucks were equipped with drinking water supply systems.

Travel times for animals should be as short as possible, according to the European Parliament.  Deputies support local, mobile or farmer slaughterhouses and meat processing plants near the cultivating site, short distribution schemes and direct sales.  They also want the European Commission to specify the appropriate driving times for different species of animals and has developed a strategy for shifting from transporting live animals to transporting meat when it's possible.

Members of the European Parliament also insist that, as long as transport standards in non-EU countries are not brought into line with EU norms and are not properly implemented, the EU must strive to mitigate differences through bilateral agreements or, if that is not possible,  to prohibit the transport of live animals to these countries.

"According to the ruling of the European Court, the EU is responsible for animals even after they left the territory of the bloc.  Thus, either third countries provide the highest possible level of protection of transported animals, or we must ban their exports to these countries, "said Mr Dorman.

* Information on the Meat-Info portal