Following today's meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council (“Agrifish Council”), the German Animal Welfare Federation is concerned about political developments concerning the transportation of live animals to third countries. A paper presented by the Portuguese delegation, which advocates the continuation of cruel animal transports and speaks out against any restrictions, received broad support from other EU member states. Only five states, including Germany, explicitly spoke out against the paper and in favor of restrictions or a ban on animal transports to third countries, such as Egypt or Morocco.
“As soon as the external borders are crossed, it is not possible to enforce EU legislation on animal transportation. Apart from that, all long-distance transports - by land or sea - are associated with immense suffering for the animals. This has long been known. But anyone who had hoped that EU states would stand up for animal welfare was proved wrong today. We are disappointed and appalled at how many countries continue to accept the suffering of living creatures in order to protect economic interests,” commented Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Federation.
With the paper “Revision of animal transport legislation - an essential part of the food production”, Portugal today advocated the continuation of animal transports to third countries - and thus against bans and trade restrictions. The transports are too important for exports and the functioning of the agricultural sector. A ban would also not be feasible for islands and countries at the external borders and would not be sustainable for producers. Portugal received support from Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Hungary and Cyprus. Germany, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Luxembourg spoke out against the paper, with the Netherlands in favor of a complete ban on animal transports to third countries. Several of the countries referred to a paper that was submitted to the Agriculture Council in July 2022 by Germany and supported by Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden, which advocates a ban on animal transportation outside the EU.
“It is likely to be difficult for the EU Commission to push through a ban on animal transportation to third countries in the current revision of animal welfare legislation. However, the last word has not yet been spoken and the decision has not yet been made. Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir must now continue to do everything in his power to strengthen animal welfare in the EU,” says Animal Welfare Federation President Schröder. He also points out that Germany should impose a national ban on the transportation of animals to countries outside Europe and thus take on a pioneering role in the EU. The German Animal Welfare Federation is also making this demand as part of its current campaign “Now more animal welfare!” (www.jetzt-mehr-tierschutz.de/tiertransporte), which critically accompanies the animal welfare plans of the traffic light government.
