WRITTEN QUESTION P-1504/01

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(11 May 2001)

Subject: Transport of animals

In December 2000 the Commission published a report on the implementation and enforcement of the Transport Directive 91/628/EEC(1) as amended by 95/29/EC(2). It clearly states that most Member States are not properly enforcing the rules which are designed to protect the welfare of transported animals. The Commission is also going to propose certain changes to the directive and the annexes, although Parliament will only be asked to give an opinion on proposals to change the articles of the directive at some time in the future. The uncontrolled and sometimes illegal transporting of animals (particularly sheep) to slaughter has been responsible for the rapid spread of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK, France, Netherlands and Germany. Those sheep would have suffered even if they had not been infected by this dreadful disease.

Does not the Commission agree that changes to the transport rules, more radical than those mentioned in the report, are necessary and the Parliament should be asked to give its opinion on all proposals to amended the directive including the annexes?

(1) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991, p. 17.

(2) OJ L 148, 30.6.1995, p. 52.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(18 June 2001)

The necessity to limit the long distance transport of animals to absolutely essential journeys and to keep any suffering to a minimum are especially important objectives for the Commission.

The Commission agrees that stricter rules are essential to improve the current situation even if it is not possible to prevent unacceptable treatment of animals simply through legislation or controls. In this respect, the Commission stresses that it is imperative that Member States ensure strict implementation of the Community legislation in place.

In relation to new legislation the Commission has very recently taken initiatives:

- to prevent the transport of injured or sick animals, the Commission adopted Decision 2001/298/EC of 30 March 2001 amending the Annexes to Council Directives 64/432/EEC, 90/426/EEC, 91/68/EEC and 92/65/EEC and to Commission Decision 94/273/EC as regards the protection of animals during transport(1) to amend veterinary certificates for intra-Community trade of livestock in order to refer to the fitness of the animals to be transported;

- to improve the standards of the vehicles, the Commission adopted on 9 April 2001 a proposal for a Council Regulation concerning ventilation systems of road vehicles used for journeys exceeding eight hours(2).

An additional proposal amending Directive 91/628/EEC will also be presented aiming at further improving the situation. Furthermore on receipt of a new opinion of the Scientific Committee on Animal Welfare expected for the end of 2001, a redefinition of travelling times and loading densities will be considered.

When drafting the proposal amending Directive 91/628/EEC, the Commission will also consider the latest developments that have affected animal transport in Europe and in particular in the light of the recent foot-and-mouth disease epidemic.

The procedure to amend Directive 91/628/EEC, including its annex, is based on Article 37 (ex Article 43) of the EC Treaty. This article provides for the Parliament to be consulted.

(1) OJ L 102, 12.4.2001.

(2) COM(2001) 197 final.