EU citizens demand stricter animal transport rules: Latest feedback revealed
The results are clear: 91.42% of respondents call for stricter rules than the ones proposed.
Last week, the European Commission published a summary of the results of the public feedback exercise carried out after the adoption of its proposal to revise the current regulation on the protection of animals during transport. They show, once again, a clear demand for tighter rules than those proposed.
An overwhelming number of 4.614 EU citizens, who made up 91.42% of the feedback’s respondents, express support for improving animal welfare during transport and even call for stricter rules.
The most frequent topics brought up by concerned citizens are the need to ban long-distance, sea transports and export to third countries, shifting towards local slaughter and transport of meat and carcasses, banning transport of unweaned and vulnerable animals, shortening transport times and improving conditions during transport.
A similar verdict was also shown last year by the results of the Special Eurobarometer conducted in March 2023, where 83% of respondents from a pool of 26,376 citizens from different social and demographic groups across the 27 EU member states stated that travel time that live animals endure during transport should be limited.
Every year, a staggering 1.35 billion live poultry, 37 million pigs, 4.30 million bovines, and 3.30 million sheep and goats, among other animals, are transported in crowded vehicles, enduring prolonged suffering in journeys that can extend for weeks. Tragedies and accidents are frequent occurrences, both on road and sea routes, leading to thousands of casualties and injuries.
Animal transport ship in the port of Cartagena, Spain
The revision of the Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport is therefore a unique opportunity to rectify the gaps, strengthen the rules and tackle the problem of lack of enforcement that is so recurrent.
When the European Commission announced its plan to revise the EU’s live animal transport legislation, it said it would do so in alignment with the latest scientific evidence and societal demands. The results of this feedback show that the public demands higher animal welfare standards.
It is now up to the newly elected Parliament and Member States, who directly represent those citizens calling for better animal welfare, to close the gaps in the Commission's proposal and put together a legislation that truly protects animals during transport.
