Document type: DG SANTE audit report, European Commission
Author: DG SANTE
Preview: This report describes the outcome of an audit of Ireland, carried out remotely from 7 to 8 and from 14 to 17 June 2022 and on-the-spot from 9 to 13 June 2022 as part of the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety work programme. The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the official controls on the protection of unweaned calves (still on a milk diet) during long journeys.
The audit concludes that the welfare of unweaned calves during long journeys is a high priority for Ireland. This is reflected by the great investment of resources, additional measures and requirements, high number of controls and readiness to take stronger enforcement actions when necessary.
The competent authorities have set up a comprehensive official control system intended to provide many assurances that unweaned calves are protected during long journeys including:
- comprehensive documented procedures which support consistent and high-quality checks to minimize the risks which could negatively impact the animals during the journey until the control posts in the vicinity of the French port of Cherbourg;
- stricter rules, additional measures, and systematic controls on the animals and the vehicles at the time of loading and during the sea crossing to ensure optimal conditions of transport vehicles and animals when starting a long journey and when travelling;
- regular communication and cooperation with the French competent authorities;
- ensuring that there is capacity at the control posts near the French port to unload, feed and rest the animals after the sea crossing;
- using effective and proportionate enforcement actions when non-compliances are detected.
However, some gaps in the system weaken the assurances it has been designed to provide. In particular:
- the absence of evaluation, at time of authorisation, of the suitability of transporters' contingency plans does not ensure the welfare of calves would be protected in case of emergencies;the lack of records on the outcome of the verification of official controls, which hinders authorities' capacity to demonstrate the effectiveness of their controls, their ability to detect failures in their controls and to take effective measures when needed;
- the absence of enforcement regarding the requirement to feed unweaned calves on the roll-on roll-off vessel, due to the Irish interpretation that this is only needed if its absence causes injury or undue suffering to the animal, which leads to these animals not being fed during journeys lasting 19 hours or more.
The report contains recommendations to the competent authorities aimed at addressing the areas in which further improvements are required or to address the shortcomings identified.
