Yes, the Europeans are having a long and productive dialogue about not only the health and happiness of animals destined for slaughter, but several other areas of concern regarding animal testing and captive and wild animals. The most crucial part of it is that animals are now to be considered sentient beings instead of simple live property. This is a really significant difference. Here is a slightly longer report from a legislator in Scotland, if you are interested in finding out more:
Europe: In it to Win
For Better Animal Welfare
Labour MEPs have been at the forefront of work to improve animal welfare across the EU.After much campaigning a major breakthrough came with the 1997 Amsterdam Treaty updating EU laws, which changed the legal definition of animals from “goods” to “sentient beings”, capable of feeling pain and suffering as well as enjoying a state of well-being. Labour MEPs have used this new legal basis to obtain further improvements in animal welfare.
An end to animal cruelty
• Live animal transport: Many of us have seen horrific documentaries detailing the suffering endured by animals on long journeys. Around 1 million farm animals per day are transported live for purposes such as slaughter or further fattening. A significant percentage of these journeys last longer than 24 hours and trucks are often overloaded, badly ventilated and not equipped with food and water. Labour MEPs have been campaigning since 1983 for EU-wide laws to improve the situation through tougher standards and a journey time limit. The EU Commission has responded with a new draft law which, while offering some improvements, does not go far enough in our view. We will continue to back the call from animal welfare organisations for a maximum 8 hour journey limit and for animals to be killed as near to the farm as possible.
• Ban on animal testing for cosmetics: In a dramatic finale to several years of negotiation, MEPs and Ministers have reached agreement on a new EU Cosmetics Law. We believe this law is one of the most significant advances in animal welfare to come through the European Parliament. It bans the testing of cosmetics on animals and also the marketing of all cosmetics tested on animals.
The testing of cosmetics on animals is already banned in the UK, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. However, this ban lacked teeth as without a marketing ban, products tested on animals in other countries could still be sold in the UK and other EU markets. The new law bans ALL products tested on animals, wherever that testing took place. Where non-animal tests are available, the ban is immediate. Where it is not, companies have until 2009 to find alternatives.
•An end to battery hen cages: Labour MEPs have voted through a law on the welfare of laying hens, banning the use of the conventional battery cage from 2012. New standards for compulsory egg labelling have also been adopted. From 2004, all eggs for domestic consumption produced in the European Union will have to be labelled according to their method of production (free-range, barn or cages). This represents a significant step forward in both animal welfare and food quality.
Protecting species and their environment
• Ban on bushmeat: The commercial trade in animals from the forest and shrub land of Africa poses a severe threat to many species. According to the IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), this trade could lead to the total extinction of the great apes, our closest relatives in the animal kingdom, within less than 20 years. Labour MEPs strongly support tougher action against the illegal importing of bushmeat into the EU and are demanding tighter controls.
• Protecting fragile environments: The EU Habitats Directive provides a legal framework to protect rare species of animals, birds and plants and the environments in which they live. National environmental agencies carry out this important work of preserving Europe's natural habitats with EU funding. Additionally, the European Commission’s Natura 2000 programme funds special projects in each EU country to protect fragile habitats. The EU has also been key in negotiating international agreements and conventions to cast a protective “legal arm” around our rare species and their fragile living environments.
• Farm policy must look after animal welfare: Labour MEPs have made sure that all proposals to reform the Common Agricultural Policy include provisions ensuring that payment of subsidies should be dependent on farmers complying with environmental, food safety, health and animal welfare rules.
• Protecting dolphins and other sea creatures: Labour MEPs backed a Community Action Plan to integrate environmental protection requirements into the Common Fisheries Policy. This includes improvements to fishing methods with a view to reducing problems such as "by-catching", when sea creatures such as dolphins are caught by accident. The population of harbour porpoises in the Baltic Sea, for example, is under severe threat due to "bycatching". We have also successfully pushed the European Commission to bring forward proposals to protect cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises and so on) and sea birds from the adverse effects of fishing.
• Zoo animals: MEPs have passed a law on zoos, obliging Member States to introduce inspection and licensing procedures, making zoos operate to high standards of animal protection. The law also requires zoos to provide sufficient space for animals' natural behaviour.
New rights for pet owners
• New passports for pets: The European Parliament has voted to ease travel restrictions on properly vaccinated pets, through the so-called 'pet passports' system. First introduced for cats and dogs in 2000, this is to be extended to other pets such as guinea pigs and rabbits in 2004. Pet owners and their pets will no longer have to endure the six months quarantine, and identification through tattoos must be phased out in eight years in favour of microchips, which are more humane.
cstihlermep.com |
