Livestock should not be transported, but rather meat and carcasses, to avoid inflicting additional pain to animals, say EU MEPs.  Copyright (c) 2017 warat42/Shutterstock.  No use without permission.

Livestock should not be transported, but rather meat and carcasses, to avoid inflicting additional pain to animals, say EU MEPs.  Copyright (c) 2017 warat42/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

The European parliament’s committee of inquiry into the protection of animals during transport--the ANIT committee--is pushing for a shift in the treatment of livestock during transport. This comes after 18 months of research in collaboration with citizens and NGOs.

Many animals transported for breeding or consumption are not moved in humane conditions; too little space, water, or food, as well as high temperatures and overcrowding are among the breaches of EU rules the committee found. on animal transport for commercial reasons, for instance, limit the time of transfers, even for animals destined to the slaughterhouse, and require trained professionals to handle the livestock.

Headed by Tilly Metz (déi Gréng), Luxembourg MEP in the European parliament and chairperson of the committee of inquiry, ANIT members have given their approval for several updated measures.

Among the recommendations MEPs adopted is a push for more effort by the commission and EU member states when it comes to animal welfare. CCTVs as well as temperature, humidity and ammonia recording devices will be part of the adopted recommendations MEPs want the commission to accept. If the weather forecast announces temperatures below 5°C or above 30°C, animals should not be transported either, say MEPs.

However, the most notable recommendation MEPs push is a complete shift from current transportation modes. Livestock, especially unweaned animals younger than 35 days, should not be transported, or at least for less than eight hours. Instead, MEPs advocate the transport of meat, carcasses, semen or embryos over livestock and breeding stock.

Metz noted in an official statement that although many positive measures and changes were adopted by members of parliament, “it is disappointing, however, that the Green demand for a general maximum transport time of eight hours only narrowly missed a majority of votes.”

Lastly, EU parliament deputies ask for a stricter control of consignments to non-EU countries--as there is no framework for controls outside the EU--arguing that export should be refused if transportation conditions clash with EU rules.

The members of parliament now push the EU commission to propose an action plan featuring these recommendations by 2023, which will be voted on during a plenary session in January 2022.