Strategy for the Protection and Welfare of Animals

Animal welfare matters to many European citizens, as was obvious from the resounding response to the 8hours campaign initiated by the S&D MEP Dan Jørgensen, calling for no animal transport in the EU to exceed eight hours.

In the end a majority of MEPs supported the non-legally-binding written declaration.

When the Commission published its strategy paper on animal welfare, it was expected that Parliament would confirm its position, but surprisingly the opposite happened.

The Greens believe that live animals should not be transported for any longer than eight hours at a time.

We also demanded that more financial resources be earmarked for animal welfare under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), with a mandatory requirement for its inclusion in rural development programmes and research funds, and called for additional resources to be set aside for inspections by the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO).

Animal welfare standards should also be promoted in trade policy, with standards equivalent to European norms being imposed on imports into the EU.