S&Ds: 'Live animal transport must be humane - animal welfare and food quality can’t be sacrificed' 

Following the revelation of abuses of the current legislation on transporting live animals, reported by the Animal Welfare Intergroup in the European Parliament, the S&D Group urges the European Parliament to take urgent measures in order to live up to citizens’ expectations and concerns.   

The S&D Group demanded that relevant committees, AGRI, ENVI and TRAN, immediately start preparing an implementation report asserting the situation and proposing the necessary and urgent measures to be voted in EP plenary.

Acting S&D President Maria João Rodrigues said: “Profit and business cannot prevail over the need to respect animals’ welfare and minimum standards obligations. Cruel mistreatment linked to the transport of live animals from the EU must be fully eradicated. Transport must be humane. This battle is not only about animal welfare, it is also necessary to safeguard food quality and human health.

“There are strong concerns and mobilization in the European public on how food is produced. Our citizens want to know that farmed animals are well treated, whether they are to be consumed in their country of origin or exported. Many animals are transported live, to be consumed as fresh meat, across Europe and to other countries.   “Information from the Animal welfare Intergroup in the European Parliament clearly shows that the current regulation 1/2005 on the transport of live animals is, in the best case, insufficiently implemented, and more often disregarded.

“This is unacceptable for the S&D Group. The Parliament must do its outmost to enforce the implementation of the rules in Europe and at its borders.   “This is what our Europe is meant to stand for: high quality food standards, human health, and respect for animal welfare. Citizens' concerns and human and sustainable development come first, always!”

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