Document type: Written answer from the European Commission
Authors: Question: Annika Bruna (ID), Jiří Pospíšil (EPP). Answer: Mr Sinkevičius on behalf of the European Commission
Question: Banning the monkey trade and the keeping of monkeys as pets. In order to tackle the illegal monkey trad some countries have banned the rearing and sale of these animals. However, some Member States' legislation allows monkeys to be kept as pets provided that their origin can be accounted for and that an administrative authorisation is obtained.
This exception is flawed because it enables legal trade that can conceal the black market. Above all, it also normalises keeping monkeys as pets, regardless of their fundamental needs.
Monkeys are wild animals that need to live in their natural habitat in order to develop their physical and cognitive abilities and to benefit from enriching social interactions with other monkeys. Captivity also deprives them of a balanced diet and weakens their immune system.
1. As part of its revision of animal welfare legislation, will the Commission propose that Member States adopt a closed and restrictive list of wild species permitted to be kept as pets?
2. If so, will monkeys excluded from this list of permitted animals as a result of their unique characteristics?
Answer: The trade within the EU of wild animals protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is closely monitored and only permitted if all conditions laid down in the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations, including with regard to the animals bred in captivity, are met.
EU regulations on international wildlife trade focus on risks that international trade poses for the conservation of endangered species. Those risks are well documented, and relevant evidence is guiding the implementation of the regulations.
Moving towards a positive list of animal species authorised for international trade — whether used as pets or otherwise — would be a systemic change both in EU and international law, and would have far-reaching impact on the implementation and enforcement of the relevant regulations. While some Member States have already adopted such lists, the Commission does not currently plan to put forward such a proposal. However, the Commission will consider the proposals to adopt such a list at the EU level in the context of the upcoming revision of the Wildlife Action Plan.
The Commission committed under the Farm to Fork Strategy to revise, by 2023, the EU animal welfare legislation 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..
The Commission does not intend to propose in that context a restrictive list of wild animal species permitted to be kept as pets.
