On Thursday, MEPs from the ANIT Committee debated and adopted, with 557 votes to 55 and 78 abstentions, recommendations to update the current EU rules. They call on the Commission and EU countries to step up their efforts to respect animal welfare during transport, update EU rules and appoint an EU commissioner responsible for animal welfare.

animal welfare (T)

BUDA, Daniel (EPP, RO)

WAITZ, Thomas (Greens/EFA, AT, Greens/EFA, AT)

KELLEHER, Billy (Renew, IE)

KYRIAKIDES, Stella (CY, EC)

CARVALHAIS, Isabel (S&D, PT)

Animal transport: extracts from the debate, results of the vote and statement by Isabel CARVALHAIS (S&D, PT), rapporteur

SOUNDBITE (Romanian), Daniel BUDA (EPP, RO), The animal farming sector contributes 168 billion euros each year, and it creates jobs for almost 30 million European citizens. The work of our committee was informed by the work of the farmers, and these farmers have been following what's been going on. They're concerned about their future. We see that there's a rural population that is going on and therefore we in the European Parliament have to find solutions. We have to find solutions that help farmers and don't constitute extra red tape. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, We need to get the knowledge on key issues such as the exports to non EU countries, how to better protect vulnerable animals, how long journeys take, and the best conditions, including maximum temperatures in which animals should be transported. These are neither simple nor straightforward issues. In revising the legislation, we will have a perfect opportunity to better address them and we must therefore get these answers right.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, We are already working on measures to be adopted early this year to facilitate official checks of the transport of live animals by sea. And these include: enhanced checks on travel content and ship plans, inspection teams comprised of veterinarians and engineers, requirements for authorities to maintain record of weather forecasts, and a Common Data EU database to record results of official controls on livestock vessels, which can then be shared by all member states.

SOUNDBITE (English), Billy KELLEHER (Renew, IE), Let us be under no illusions. There's been catastrophic failures by the European Union and member states in the enforcement of regulation 2005. We saw that recently with the ships "the Alibek and the Karriem allah", for example, in the Mediterranean. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Thomas WAITZ  (Greens/EFA, AU), There's not a single infringement procedure that has been taken against the member states, even though there is overwhelming evidence and scandals. What is happening on our roads and especially on sea. The regulation is outdated. It's unclear in many parts and especially the transports on ships are a black hole of lawlessness. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Isabel CARVALHAIS (S&amp;D, PT), Our commitment, obviously, is to make sure that we actually change the current system of transport of live animals into a new paradigm where it will be much less needed. And of course, for that matter, the conditions have to be created so that in the future we will have much more meat and carcases and genetic material transported instead of live animals.

SOUNDBITE (English), Isabel CARVALHAIS (S&amp;D, PT), In this committee, we are very engaged in making sure that the agricultural models are much more extensive. And I think that what we are proposing, what we are recommending for the future is, in accordance with these sort of models, less intensivity. And so I think in the future, our recommendations will not disturb the whole world, but will enforce, will be more compatible with these models where sustainability is indeed the key word.

Cutaways : general view of the debate ( 4 shots)