7 June 2012

Animal Transport in the European Union

UECBV7 June 2012Agneta NorgrenAnimal Welfare Unit – DG SANCO

7 June 2012

Report on animal welfare

Impacts on:• Welfare of animals taking into account scientific

evidence• Trade flows of live animals and in particular socio-

economic implications, including regional aspects• the implementation of the navigation system• + Enforcement

7 June 2012

Impacts on Economics

• No effects on trade flows• No regional effects• No direct socio-economic effects, but possibly

negative due to lack of harmonised implementation on:• Administrative costs• Costs for updating vehicles

7 June 2012

Impacts on Animal Welfare 1

• Areas of improvements• + Better vehicles• + Increased awareness of transporters

• But areas of enforcement to be improved• Scientific base outdated in certain areas

7 June 2012

Impacts on Animal Welfare 2

• Enforcement to be improved by transporters on:• Fitness for transport• Space allowances (and heights)• Journey times, resting, watering and feeding

intervals

7 June 2012

Impacts on Animal Welfare 3

• Official checks to be improved or increased:• Before journeys: unrealistic journey logs• During journeys• After journeys: Penalties, navigation systems

• Unequal implementation of the EU legislation does not ensure a level playing field for operators

7 June 2012

Total (million) 4.4 30 4.2 0.12 1215

Slaughter 0.54/16 % 41 % 61 % 32 % Slght > 8h 0.21/29 % 17 % 46 % 79 %

Animal Transported in 2011Transport Duration

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Cattle Pigs Sheep Horses Poultry

>29h

8-29h

<8h

7 June 2012

Animal Transport regional distribution in 2005-2009

Cattle (55 % of all trade)• From France, Poland, Germany and Belgium • To Spain, Italy and the Netherlands

Pigs• From Denmark and the Netherlands (67 %)• To Germany (50 %)

Sheep and goats • From Spain, France, UK, Hungary, The Netherlands and Romania• To Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, France, Ireland and Greece

Poultry (60 % of all trade between the following countries)• From Czech Republic, Germany,France and the Netherlands• To Belgium. Germany and the Netherlands

Horses• From Romania, Poland, Spain and France (60-70 % of the trade)• To Italy (55 %) and France (30 % in 2007)

7 June 2012

Impacts on Animal Welfare 4

• Navigation systems:• Not sufficiently used to improve official checks• Not sufficiently used to reduce administrative

burden

7 June 2012

Impacts on Animal Welfare 5

• Scientific opinion from EFSA• Journey times are not in line with scientific

evidence in particular for horses• Space allowances would need to be revised

7 June 2012

SUMMARY

• Poor enforcement by operators in certain areas• Insufficient checks by officials• Full potential of navigation systems to be

developed• Journey times and space not fully in line with

scientific opinion

7 June 2012

Considered solutions

• Actions to improve enforcement• Implementing measures

Navigation systems – Article 6.9Member States’ checks – Article 27.1Communication – Article 24 Guidance and guidelines – Article 29

PRIORITY TO PRACTICAL ENFORCEMENT RATHER THAN PROPOSING NEW RULES

7 June 2012

European Parliament

• - Written declaration• - COMM TRANS• - COMM ENVI

• - COMM AGRI – after the summer

7 June 2012

Council

• - No support for 8 hours limit• - Focus on enforcement

7 June 2012

This is the end of our short journey – Thank you for your attention