Document type Answer to question E-000214/23 from the European Commission
Authors: question: Thomas Waitz (Greens/EFA). Answer: Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission
Question : Animal welfare controls at EU exit points
The Commission has stated that the Greek border at Kakavia is not a designated exit point for live animals and does not fall within the scope of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005. It said that ‘operators transporting animals should not leave the Union territory through this location’[1]. However, in 2022, the non-governmental organisation Animals’ Angels informed the Commission that live animals were continuing to be transported through this border, without any animal welfare checks. Four recent cases (three of cattle from Bulgaria and one of pigs from Greece) were reported between 17 and 20 December 2022.
- Has the Commission joined Greece in taking measures to ban animals from being transported across the Kakavia border and, if so, what measures have been taken?
- Did the Commission inform the authorities in other EU Member States to not authorise the transport of animals across the border at Kakavia?
- Are sanctions being issued for the continued illegal transport of live animals from Greece to Albania at the Kakavia border?
Answer: The Commission has addressed the issue of the exit points with the Greek authorities on several occasions. Consequently, the Commission has been informed that Greece is in the process of putting in place the needed facilities and of allocating the necessary resources to perform checks regarding compliance with the Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005 and Regulation (EU) 2017/625 (Official Controls Regulation).
According to Regulation (EU) 2017/625, an exit point is defined as either a border control post (BCP) or as any other place designated by a Member State where animals, falling within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, leave the customs territory of the EU. Kakavia is listed as a BCP; it can therefore be an exit point.
However, regardless of whether the exit point is a BCP or an exit point designated by a Member State, it is the responsibility of that Member State to assure that facilities are in place for the necessary checks to be performed.
The Commission was not in contact with other Member States on this particular issue.
Sanctions for cases of transport of live animals not compliant with EU rules are imposed by Member States. The Commission is not in possession of specific information in this respect.
