Subject: Regulations

EFSA Opinion - Welfare of horses at slaughter

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare

Published in 2025

New EFSA opinion on the welfare of horses at slaughter for human consumption. The opinion details three phases: pre-stunning, stunning and bleeding. It identifies potential hazards and describes stunning and killing methods (captive bolt, firearm, lethal injection), and proposes measures to assess animal welfare consequences. Practices deemed unacceptable on welfare grounds are also listed.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Anxiety, Consciousness, Pain, Brain integration, Fear, Stress

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European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-002435/24: Meat sector unhappy with the Commission's new proposal amending the Regulation on the protection of animals during transport

Question: Mireia Borrás Pabón (PfE). Answer: Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

Answer from the European Commission to a question from an MEP on the proposed regulations on the protection of animals during transport, with which the meat industry is not pleased. The European Commission defends its proposal for a regulation based on EFSA's scientific opinions and an in-depth impact assessment. Modelling carried out by the Joint Research Centre indicates a negligible impact on consumer prices.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Cattle, Poultry

Keywords:Animal trade, Societal issues, Transportation

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European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-002402/24: New evidence of breaches of EU law during transport of Irish calves

Question: Anja Hazekamp (The Left). Answer: Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

Answer from the European Commission to a report from an MEP of serious breaches of the rules governing the transport of unweaned calves from Ireland to Europe, including falsified documents and unsuitable conditions. The Commission, which is concerned by these practices, is following up the case, and the Irish authorities have launched an investigation into the animal collection center involved.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal trade, Pain, Euthanasia, Abuse, Transport

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European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-002112/24: Serious concerns regarding animal cruelty during animal transport in Austria

Question: Anja Hazekamp (The Left). Answer: Mr Varhelyi on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

Answer to a qiuestion from an  MEP on two recent cases of animal cruelty during transport in Austria. The Commission points out that it is for Member States to apply EU rules, and that new, stricter rules governing exports are currently under discussion.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal trade, Pain, Education, Abuse, Mutilation, Transport

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Assemblée nationale : réponse écrite à la question n°788 : Interpellation sur les soirées illégales de l’Aquarium de Paris

Question: Mrs Danielle Simonnet Paris (15th district) - Écologiste et Social. Answer: Ministry of Ecological Transition, Energy, Climate and Risk Prevention

Published in 2024

Answer to a question from a French Deputy on  illegal party nights at the Paris Aquarium, contrary to the 2021 law banning the presentation of animals in nightclubs. The Ministry's reply states that the Paris Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations is investigating the case to ensure that legal requirements are met. 

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Abuse, Fear, Stress

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Neutralisation techniques used by defendants charged with animal welfare offences in Finland

Valtonen E, Hänninen L, Valros A, Koskela T.

Published in 2024

Study showing that defendants accused of criminal behavior against animals often invoke personal or financial difficulties to justify theire acts, while breeders frequently question standards and authorities when accused of offences against their animals. These differences underline the need to adapt strategies for monitoring, support and prevention to suit each type of crime.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:Abuse

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European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-001907/2024: Greece is failing to meet its animal welfare obligations

Question: Matthias Ecke (S&D). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2024

Answer from the European Commission to a parliamentary question on non-commercial pet movements in Greece, where the government refuses to cooperate with animal welfare associations to implement the TRACES system. The Commission points out that such movements, which are associated with transfers of animal ownership, are covered by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688, which does not require the use of TRACES.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords: Adoption,Abandonment, Animal trade, Transport

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European Parliament: written answer to Question E-001843/2024: Banning chick culling in the EU

Question: Pascal Arimont (PPE). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2024

Question from an MEP to the European Commission on the culling of day-old male chicks in some Member States, despite the existence of in-ovo sexing technologies and answer from the Commission stating that it is examining this issue on the basis of EFSA Opinions and impact studies, with a view to including a harmonized ban in forthcoming legislation on animal welfare.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Pain, Euthanasia, Abuse, Prenatal issues

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Assemblée nationale : réponse écrite à la question n°495 : Maltraitance animale dans les DROM-COM

Question: Mme Maud Petit (Les Démocrates - Val-de-Marne (4th district)). Answer: Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry.

Published in 2024

Answer to a question from  a Deputy on the abuse of stray animals in the overseas territories and départements. In it, the government states that it is implementing a plan to improve the management of strays, strengthen synergies between local stakeholders, and support animal protection associations. Legislative measures and awareness-raising campaigns are planned to combat animal abandonment and abuse.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Abandonment, Adoption, Education, Population management, Abuse

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Assemblée nationale : réponse écrite à la question n°1076 : Gestion des animaux errants en France métropolitaine et en outre-mer

Question: Mrs Corinne Vignon (Ensemble pour la République - Haute-Garonne (3rd constituency)). Answer: Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry

Published in 2024

Question from a French Depputy to the Minister of Agriculture on the delay in publishing the report on stray animals in France, scheduled by law for 2021. In response, the Ministry stated that a report was in progress, and pointed to concrete actions, such as its call for projects and provision of 3 million euros to fund the sterilization of stray cats.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Felines

Keywords: Adoption,Abandonment, Castration, Population management, Sterilization

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