Keywords: Societal issues

Implementing regulation laying down the necessary necessary for carrying out inspections on vessels carrying livestock. It creates a Europe-wide electronic database so that all data required for inspections is centralised.

EFSA opinion identifying the most important factors impacting on the welfare of laying hens: bone lesions, group stress, inability to avoid unwanted sexual behavior, inability to engage in comfort behavior, inability to engage in exploratory or foraging behavior, isolation stress, predation stress, resting problems, movement restriction, skin disorders, soft tissue lesions and integument lesions. It proposes animal-based measures to assess them, and sets out the risks related to different farming systems. Measures to prevent risks and mitigate welfare consequences are proposed. Recommendations are made to address specific welfare issues for laying hens.

EFSA opinion that identifies 19 major welfare consequences for broilers, animal-based measures to assess them, risks related to different farming systems and animal-based measures to assess them. Measures to prevent risks and mitigate welfare consequences are proposed. Recommendations are made to address specific welfare issues for broilers. Indicators for monitoring the welfare of broilers at slaughter are proposed.

Presentation of the key points of a report from Essere Animali on effective stunning methods for fish, a key element for the welfare of fish not included in the recently introduced Italian "Sustainable Aquaculture" certification system. The report emphasizes the low investment cost of acquiring the necessary equipment and the possibility of financing this through the Common Fisheries Policy.

Audit report from EFTA concluding that the  EEA legislation has been correctly transposed and implemented in Norway. Nevertheless, the recommendations made in previous audits have not been satisfactorily addressed. Official veterinarians do not receive sufficient training with the result that non-compliance is not properly detected.

DG SANTE audit report concluding that Spain has significantly improved its system of official controls since the previous Commission audit. However, veterinary inspectors do not always have sufficient knowledge or support to carry out controls properly and ports do not have facilities to allow animals to wait in good conditions if they are delayed.

DG SANTE audit report concluding that Italy has invested significant resources in official controls concerning the welfare of calves during transport, but that there are inconsistencies in these official controls that have not been corrected.

DG SANTE audit report concluding that the official controls carried out by Portugal on sea carriers and livestock vessels prior to loading are adequate and effective in minimising the risk of injury or undue suffering for animals during transport by livestock vessels to third countries.

Report presenting Eurogroup for Animals's vision for the future of agriculture by 2050. It includes the reversal of the plant/animal protein ratio in human food; a net decrease in the number of farm animals; a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the food industry; improved public health; and greater consideration for the feelings of animals.

Report showing that European countries with the lowest antibiotic use are also those with the highest minimum legal standards for animal welfare, reducing the routine systematic use of antibiotics to a minimum, with 90% of antibiotics administered on an individual basis. It makes recommendations for policy, reduction targets, and animal husbandry practices  that can reduce antibiotic use in pig and poultry production.