17/03/2012

(2012, Mar. 16th)

European Parliament calls for an end to long-distance live animal transport in the European Union. Written declaration 49/2011 succeeds! Over one million European citizens support the initiative too.

This morning, the European Parliament adopted Written Declaration 49/2011 on the establishment of a maximum 8-hour journey limit for animals transported in the European Union for the purpose of being slaughtered.

378 (half of the total number of MEPs plus one) was the number required for the Written Declaration to become an official position of the Parliament, and this number was reached one day in advance.

The document, which ‘calls on the Commission and the Council to review Regulation 1/2005 to establish a maximum 8-hour limit for the journeys of animals transported for the purpose of being slaughtered ‘ will now be transmitted to the European Commission and the governments of the Member States. It was promoted by five MEPs: Dan Jørgensen (S&D, Denmark), Esther de Lange (EPP, Netherlands), Pavel Poc (S&D, Czech Republic), Carl Schlyter (Greens, Sweden) and Andrea Zanoni (ALDE, Italy).

This document directly refers to over one million signatures registered on the www.8hours.eu website. This massive mobilisation of European citizens is calling for an end to long-distance journeys for animals sent for slaughter in the European Union.

This is one of the largest animal welfare campaigns ever conducted in Europe. It was launched by Animals’ Angels - an international organisation which has documented hundreds of cases of severe suffering endured by transported animals - together with Danish MEP Dan Jørgensen,

This morning some of the promoters of the written declaration (Pavel Poc, Carl Schlyter and Andrea Zanoni) and French EPP MEP Michèle Striffler stood in front of the Hemicycle inviting colleagues to sign: it was the latest act of a very successful string of initiatives.

Animal welfare organisations throughout Europe have been regularly in touch with MEPs elected in their country to inform them on the reality of long-distance live transport and ask them to sign Written Declaration 49/2011.

The long duration of the journeys of animals destined for slaughter in the EU often causes them intense suffering, as has been consistently reported over the years by Animals’ Angels investigators. Current EU legislation makes it possible for animals to be transported for several days, even though it is scientifically proven and acknowledged by the Commission that the suffering of the animals increases with the duration of the journey.

“This is a historic moment for all those who care about animals. The call of one million citizens cannot be easily ignored by the EU institutions” - said Christa Blanke, Founder of Animals’ Angels. “But this is just a fundamental milestone in a campaign that will end only when long-distance journeys of animals sent for slaughter are banned in the EU. We have been documenting the suffering caused by animal transports around Europe over many years, and we have seen that all improvements of transport rules are insufficient if long-distance journeys continue to be allowed”.

“In reality what goes on today on the European roads is animal cruelty. This has to be stopped. The European Commission has so far disregarded the demand for new rules for animal transports. But it will be difficult for the Commission to ignore the demands of the European Parliament, which joins over one million citizens asking for long-distance live transports to stop” - said Danish MEP Dan Jørgensen, and adds: “I have made the signal to the responsible commissioner for animal welfare, John Dalli, many times, that the rules for animal transports need to be changed. Unfortunately he does not see the need to respond properly to this call. But he is wrong, and he should act now. If not he will have to explain to the European parliament and to EU citizens why he insists on letting this cruelty go on”.
Written Declaration 49/2011 and the collection of one million signatures from EU citizens are part of a larger campaign (www.8hours.eu) calling for a maximum overall 8-hour limit for journeys of animals sent for slaughter. The campaign is also supported by 126 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from 19 member states and all political groups.


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Notes:

The main piece of European legislation currently regulating live animal transport is EC Regulation 1/2005. This allows horses, other equines and pigs to be transported for 24 hours, then have a 24-hour rest period and then start again; cattle, sheep and goats can be transported for 14 hours, then a 1-hour rest, then transported for a further 14 hours, then a 24-hour rest and then start again; unweaned calves, lambs, foals and piglets can be transported for 9 hours, then a 1-hour rest, then transported for 9 hours, then a 24-hour rest and then start again. These cycles can be repeated indefinitely.

The European Parliament demanded a limitation of transport time back in 2001: “The duration of transportation should be limited to a maximum of 8 hours or a distance of 500 km in the case of cattle, horses, sheep and pigs that are not intended for special breeding or sporting purposes.” (Resolution of the European Parliament, adopted on 13 January 2001 in Strasbourg).

The most recent video of animals being transported from the EU to Turkey: http://youtu.be/rNiXxN2Kj3s . Copies are available for media purposes.
Further information about this campaign is available on the www.8hours.eu website.
Animals’ Angels website: www.animals-angels.org

List of supporting organisations available at: http://www.8hours.eu/support .

List of supporting MEPs available at: http://www.8hours.eu/supporters/

Photos and videos are available on request.

The text of Written Declaration 49/2011 is available in all EU languages on request. Its English verison is online at http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2f%2fEP%2f%2fNONSGML%2bWDECL%2bP7-DCL-2011-0049%2b0%2bDOC%2bPDF%2bV0%2f%2fEN .

For interviews with Christa Blanke, Founder and Director of Animals’ Angels, please contact Adolfo Sansolini, Coordinator of the 8hours Campaign: +44 7983 586 295

For interviews with Dan Jørgensen MEP, please contact Niels Fuglsang, Political Advisor: +32 48 95 46 037.