EU tightens subsidy rules for live cattle exports
Date: 11-Apr-03
Country: BELGIUM
Until now, the EU executive could only stop payment of subsidies for animals found dead on arrival if it could prove they had died from a failure to follow EU animal welfare rules.
But under the new legislation, to apply from the start of October, the Commission will be able to suspend payment for an entire shipment where a certain percentage of animals are dead or show clear signs of neglect, it said in a statement.
This percentage will vary between two and five percent, depending on the number of animals being transported.
Along with the penalty increase, the Commission is beefing up inspection services in destination countries outside the EU to improve detection of any breach in animal welfare rules.
Checks when the animals arrive in their country of destination will become compulsory and vets who carry out these controls will be more strictly monitored, the Commission said.
Of the EU's 15 member states, Ireland and France are the most involved in the live cattle transport sector.
The main destinations for the bloc's exports are Lebanon and Egypt, as the two Arab states wish to slaughter the animals on their own soil for religious reasons.
In 2001, the EU exported more than 150,000 male cattle to third countries, according to Commission data. Of this, Lebanon received 145,000 animals and just over 1,000 were sent to Egypt.
Animal welfare groups criticise the new rules for not going far enough to stop what they call the cruel treatment of animals and insist that the EU scrap its entire system of export subsidies, or refunds, for live cattle.
"We welcome any strengthening of rules but what we want is the ending of export refunds because they favour the long-distance transport of animals, which we are against," said an official at the lobby group Eurogroup for Animal Welfare.
BRUSSELS - EU exporters receiving subsidies for sending live cattle overseas will soon be subject to much stricter checks to reduce animal deaths and maltreatment during transport, the European Commission said this week.
Until now, the EU executive could only stop payment of subsidies for animals found dead on arrival if it could prove they had died from a failure to follow EU animal welfare rules.
But under the new legislation, to apply from the start of October, the Commission will be able to suspend payment for an entire shipment where a certain percentage of animals are dead or show clear signs of neglect, it said in a statement.
This percentage will vary between two and five percent, depending on the number of animals being transported.
Along with the penalty increase, the Commission is beefing up inspection services in destination countries outside the EU to improve detection of any breach in animal welfare rules.
Checks when the animals arrive in their country of destination will become compulsory and vets who carry out these controls will be more strictly monitored, the Commission said.
Of the EU's 15 member states, Ireland and France are the most involved in the live cattle transport sector.
The main destinations for the bloc's exports are Lebanon and Egypt, as the two Arab states wish to slaughter the animals on their own soil for religious reasons.
In 2001, the EU exported more than 150,000 male cattle to third countries, according to Commission data. Of this, Lebanon received 145,000 animals and just over 1,000 were sent to Egypt.
Animal welfare groups criticise the new rules for not going far enough to stop what they call the cruel treatment of animals and insist that the EU scrap its entire system of export subsidies, or refunds, for live cattle.
"We welcome any strengthening of rules but what we want is the ending of export refunds because they favour the long-distance transport of animals, which we are against," said an official at the lobby group Eurogroup for Animal Welfare.