Yesterday, 5/4/16, was hopefully a productive day in the campaign regarding live animal exports.
In the morning, Mark telephoned Mr. Marco Valletta at the EU DG (Commission) for Health and Food Safety. Mr. Valletta is directly responsible at the Commission as part of Commissioener Vyetenis Andriiukaitis’ team with responsibilities which directly include animal health and animal welfare. Please note that Commissioner Vyetenis Andriiukaitis is one of two people who we have addressed our petition to – see more at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/763/168/053/eu-commissioners-fail-live-animals-transported-to-turkey./?taf_id=22743166&cid=email_na
In a parallel exercise, Lesley at ‘Eyes on Animals’ in Amsterdam (NL) had a meeting with the Dutch authorities as well as the EoA inspection team. It should be remembered and hoped that the Dutch have very strong views about the current failures of EU live animal transport laws, and that we hope that during the Dutch EU Presidency which lasts until the end of June, they will make major progress with being able to change the system. Please read more about this from one of our past posts – https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/2016/01/23/netherlands-some-great-news-the-dutch-presidency-pleads-for-eu-action-for-animals/
Mark and Mr. Valletta had a good conversation, with Mark expressing his concerns especially about the situation for EU animals being exported live to Turkey. He informed Mr. Valletta about all the evidence which was included in the excellent EoA video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udReHkAumrY&feature=youtu.be and was very surprised to hear back that Mr. Valletta had not actually seen the video !! – and this is the man at the EU Commission ultimately responsible for the welfare of animals !!
We know from Lesley that copies of the video were supplied to the Commission – why it was not seen by the man directly responsible for animal health and welfare in the Commission is anyone’s guess.
Mark sent a mail to Mr. Valletta in the afternoon which included both video and petition links for Mr. Valletta. You can read a copy of Marks mail here –
Marco Valletta letter EU Tuurkey – SAV Copy
Lesley at EoA has been putting out some excellent articles and PR’s regarding the Turkish live exports situation. You can see one here which is linked directly from the EoA website – http://www.eyesonanimals.com/stop-tolerating-systematic-violations-international-law-exporting-livestock-third-countries/
Mark and Lesley communicated in the evening and it was decided that a formal copy of the EoA Turkish video should be sent specifically and directly to Mr. Valletta. Not only will this allow him to see the cruel reality of the situation for EU animals exported live to Turkey, but it may provide Lesley with assistance when she next meets the Dutch authorities on this issue.
As Mark said to Mr. Valletta in their phone conversation, and as written in his mail to same; the individual EU member states firstly hold immediate responsibility for the enforcement of EU Regulation 1/2005 which should provide protection to animals in transport; but at the end of the day, it is the EU Commission who are ‘top of the pyramid’ and who should be prosecuting individual member states when they fail. And as shown the video, they fail a lot !
This is where Mr. Valletta should come in as the official rep of the EU Commission. Mark reminded him in conversation that he has animal welfare duties to enforce, and that we want to see something positive being done about the Turkish situation. Mr. Valletta watching the video from EoA would be a very good first move !
We are now waiting to hear back from Mr. Valletta when he has seen the video and also had a review of the petition; which we have reminded him, has been signed by citizens of all EU member states.
Regards Mark.
All photos – EoA Netherlands
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere !, LETTERS, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering), VIDEOS | Leave a comment »
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