The protection and welfare of animals for 2006-2010

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report by Elizabeth JEGGLE (EPP-ED, DE) on the Commission’s communication on a Community Action Plan on the Protection and Welfare of Animals. (Please see the summary of 12/09/2006.) Parliament adopted the report by a large majority - 565 votes in favour to 29 against and 15 abstentions – and called for stricter animal welfare rules in the EU. Whilst Parliament called for an end to dog and cock fighting and an end to state or national subsidies relating to these activities, it voted against extending this passage to bull fighting.  The report called on the Commission to submit plans for animal protection labelling, to urge the strengthening of animal protection in WTO negotiations, and to ban seal and 'cruelty products' imports into the Union.

Parliament regretted that EU rules on the transport of live animals are frequently flouted in practice. It supported the idea of introducing a label guaranteeing respect for European standards, but acknowledged that an accumulation of measures designed to improve animal welfare can have negative consequences for the competitiveness of the European farming sector. It was also important to avoid all dumping in third countries and any deterioration in the treatment of animals in these countries. Parliament therefore emphasised the urgent need to include a tightening of animal protection measures on the agenda of World Trade Organisation negotiations, in order to raise international welfare standards. It also proposed imposing embargoes on countries where production of animal products involve cruelty.