Document type: article published in Euractiv
Author: Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro
Preview: The Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) is proposing the introduction of temperature monitoring systems as part of new rules on animal welfare during transport. The Presidency's draft proposal, made public following a transparency request from Euractiv, relates to Chapter V of the regulation on requirements during transport and on arrival at the place of destination. It was presented to EU Member States on October 21 and discussed at a meeting on October 28. Article 24 now proposes that outside temperatures should be monitored, a requirement not included in the the Commission's initial proposal of December 2023. Sensors should be mounted in the part of the truck most exposed to extreme temperatures, and the driver should receive an alert when a certain threshold is reached. "Means of transport [...] must be equipped with a warning system to alert the driver when the temperature reaches 0°C or +35°C," the Presidency plans. An EU diplomat familiar with the negotiations reported that the draft text was generally well received by Member States on October 28. Another diplomat told Euractiv that the proposal was a step in the right direction. Under the Commission's proposal, the transport of animals would be authorized at night only if the expected daytime temperature was above 30°C. Olga Kikou, from the European Institute for Animal Law and Policy, noted that, despite the statement that the driver will be "alerted", there is no indication of the action to be taken when the maximum temperature is reached. She expressed concern that "lack of clarity will lead to problems when transporting animals, which is quite worrying",. While the Hungarian Presidency is focusing primarily on finalizing Chapter V, negotiations have also begun on chapters that are closely related, such as Chapter II on organizer and transporter authorizations, an EU diplomat confirmed to Euractiv.
