Skip to main content
RegulationTransport, Slaughter, Pick-up

Parlement européen : Réponse écrite à la question E-000618/2021 : Time spent transporting animals by sea should no longer be considered a rest period

By April 12th 2021April 27th, 2021No Comments

Document type : Answer from the European Commission

Authors: Question: Annika Bruna (ID), Virginie Joron (ID), Elżbieta Kruk (ECR), Mick Wallace (The Left), Clare Daly (The Left), Vilija Blinkevičiūtė (S&D), Julie Lechanteux (ID), Aurelia Beigneux (ID), Dominique Bilde (ID) Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the Commission

Question: Transporting animals by sea, particularly when they are exported outside the European Union, causes great distress to livestock. The animals are cooped up in crowded pens, with not enough room to move around, and suffer from motion sickness, a lack of ventilation, inappropriate drinking facilities and poor hygiene conditions as a result of insufficient litter facilities.

Such conditions are deplorable and cause the animals severe stress, sometimes even resulting in their death while on board. Yet Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport considers the time taken to transport animals by sea as a rest period.

  1. Is the Commission aware of the distress caused to animals during transport by sea?
  2. Does it acknowledge that transporting animals by sea does not allow them real time to rest?
  3. Does it intend to prohibit or severely curtail the transport of animals by sea given how difficult — even impossible — it is for animals to rest during journeys which may take several weeks?

Answer: 1. The Commission is aware that animals transported by sea, especially over a long period are exposed to specific animal welfare hazards. This is why the EU legislation contains specific provisions regarding the transport in livestock vessels.

  1. Transporting animals by sea, if performed under good conditions on a vessel, can allow animals to rest to a certain extent. This requires sufficient space, ventilation, drinking facilities and bedding. The quality of rest will also substantially depend on the sea and weather conditions. EU legislation binds the journey organiser to take all these factors into account when planning a journey by sea.
  2. In the context of the Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission intends to revise the animal welfare legislation, including on animal transport, to align it with the latest scientific evidence, broaden its scope, make it easier to enforce and ultimately ensure a higher level of animal welfare. Against this background, the Commission has mandated the European Food Safety Authority to provide a scientific opinion, notably on animal transport. The request on animal transport includes a specific question on transport by livestock vessels. In the light of this scientific opinion, as well as the experience gained during the implementation of the legislation, the Commission will consider the most appropriate measures for the future.
European Parliament logo
From the European Parliament website