NGOs call on EU to “urgently” ban export of live animals

European NGOs are urging the European Union to ban the export of live farmed animals outside its borders on Wednesday November 29, while the Commission must present in a few days a proposal to improve their protection during transport. Brussels was to propose by the end of the year a revision of the rules on animal welfare (breeding conditions, transport, slaughter, labeling). But ultimately, only the presentation of a proposal on the “protection of animals during transport” is scheduled, a priori for December 6.

“The transnational nature of live animal exports makes it particularly difficult to protect animal welfare, and this is why we call for a ban on live animal exports to third EU countries”underlines in a press release published Tuesday evening Reineke Hameleers, general director of the NGO coalition Eurogroup for Animals. “The European Union must tackle this problem urgently”supports the director of the CIWF France association, Yvan Savy, who also calls for “strict new rules” concerning the transport of animals within the EU itself, in particular for unweaned calves and lambs and pregnant females.

The organizations published a report based on official records, they say “incomplete, often inaccurate” and that “vastly underestimate the length and duration of many transports”. The document notes in particular that in 2022, “the EU exported around 30,000 heifers [vaches n’ayant pas encore eu de veau] pregnant women, mainly to Central and Western Asia, such as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, where journeys can reach 6,000 km and last up to three weeks..