The German Animal Welfare Federation (Deutscher Tierschutzbund) is positive about the opinion presented yesterday by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on the revision of the EU Animal Welfare Transport Regulation. However, in addition to many good suggestions for improvement, the association also sees shortcomings.
“Although the EFSA's proposals leave room for improvement, they would still significantly improve the situation for animals - especially poultry,” says Frigga Wirths, expert on animals in agriculture at the German Animal Welfare Federation. In contrast to the current regulation, the EFSA recommends special temperature regulations for chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese, among other things. The time for catching, loading and unloading the truck should be included in the transportation time, which has not been the case to date. The EFSA also gives a specific recommendation on the height of the transport crates so that the birds' crests do not hit the lid. This is not sufficiently regulated in the current regulation. There are also sensible recommendations for cattle and pigs, such as providing more space.
Although animal welfare campaigners are largely positive about the recommendations, the German Animal Welfare Federation is also disappointed in some points: “For cattle and pigs, the EFSA should have recommended a maximum transport duration. The statement that transportation should be “as short as possible” is vague and insufficient,” comments Wirths. The animal welfare campaigners also miss a recommendation for a ban on transport by ship. Although the EFSA describes the existing animal welfare problems in the report, it only recommends sufficient ventilation for ship transports. The weather must also be taken into account. The recommendations do not include a ban on transportation to countries outside Europe. “It is bitter that the EFSA has not taken a clear position here. The immense suffering that animals have to endure during transportation, handling and slaughter in countries outside Europe has been known for long enough,” says Wirths.
Background: On behalf of the EU Commission, the EFSA has drawn up recommendations for the transportation of various animal species and animal groups. In addition to recommendations for the transportation of cattle, pigs and poultry, the report also contains recommendations for small ruminants, horses and rabbits. However, the transportation of these animals plays a subordinate role in Germany. Yesterday, the report was presented in Brussels together with a previously published report on the welfare of breeding pigs. Both are part of a series of scientific reports that the EU Commission has requested as part of the “Farm to Fork” strategy and which will serve as a basis for the revision of the EU Animal Welfare Regulation. The EU Commission intends to present a draft in the second half of 2023.
