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EP Animal Transport Committee meet for the first time
28 September 2020
The ANIT-Committee has not yet published a timetable for upcoming activities but among the important next steps to take will be the appointment of the rapporteur and the shadow rapporteurs of the investigation report.
During its constitutive meeting on 23 September, the Committee of Inquiry on the protection of animals during transport (ANIT) elected Tilly METZ (Greens/EFA) as its Chairwoman. The competing candidate for chairperson was Sylvia Limmer (ID, DE).
Marlene Mortler (EPP, DE), Anja Hazekamp (GUE/NGL, NL), Mohammed Chahim (S&D, NL) and Martin Hojsik (Renew, SK) were appointed as Vice-Chairs. Together, the Chairwoman and Vice-Chairs will make up the bureau of the Committee, elected for the whole mandate of one year.
Almost half of ANIT’s 30 Members and 25 substitutes are also Members of the EP Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals which was a driving force in calling for its creation. The Committee of Inquiry was established by a very large majority during the EP’s plenary session in July 2020 upon a request presented by 181 MEPs to the Conference of Presidents (EP President and leaders of political groups in the House).
The Committee’s main objective will be to look into alleged violations in the application of European Union law governing live animal transport both within and outside the Union. For this, they can consult experts and stakeholders and invite them for public hearings or carry out themselves study trips (COVID-19 pandemic allowing) to see the situation on the ground. The results of the inquiries and assessments will be the basis for an investigation report which will be adopted at the end of ANIT’s one-year mandate. This report can be used as a source document for the urgently needed revision of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations.
The ANIT-Committee has not yet published a timetable for upcoming activities but among the important next steps to take will be the appointment of the rapporteur and the shadow rapporteurs of the investigation report.
A first attempt to create an EP Committee of Inquiry on animal transport dates back to 2017. At the time, it was supported by 223 MEPs from all parties and political groups. However, the EP Conference of Presidents, upon request from the Agriculture Committee, rejected this request opting for a less costly solution with an EP report on the implementation of Council Regulation No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport within and outside the EU, (2018/2110(INI))
This report, drafted by Animal Welfare Intergroup Member Jørn Dohrmann MEP (ECR, DK), was adopted at the end of the last Parliamentary term. It specifically recommends in its article 22 that the “Parliament establishes a committee of inquiry on the welfare of animals during transport within and outside the EU as from the beginning of the next parliamentary term in order to properly investigate and monitor alleged contraventions and maladministration in the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport. The current ANIT Committee is therefore also a consequence of this recommendation expressed by the EP during the former term.
USEFUL LINKS:
Parliamentary Magazine’s article
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‘Our research findings may come as a surprise to many…it identified a new class of casual consumer who are reducing their meat consumption much more rapidly than thought’
23 HOURS AGO
People across Europe are reducing their meat consumption ‘much more rapidly than thought’, according to new research published by New Food Magazine.
Dutch firm ingredients firm Griffith Foods has undertaken a Pan Europeansurvey looking into consumer behaviour, polling around 4,000 people in the U.K, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
The organization says the emerging flexitarian market – of people who actively want to reduce their meat intake and try alternative proteins – is larger than previously thought.
The survey found that consumers want more ‘adventurous’ vegan and veggie options made available – with different cuisines including Asian and Mediterranean on offer rather than just standard veggie burgers.
“Our research findings may come as a surprise to many, especially as it identified a new class of casual consumer who are reducing their meat consumption much more rapidly than thought,” said Wim van Roekel, president, Griffith Foods, Europe & Africa, said.
“That has major implications for food retail manufacturers and producers, and their response to capture and cater to this newfound mass market.
“It’s exciting for our customers as this new demographic, still in its infancy, has a big appetite for choice and change.”
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WAV Comment – we have just had this news in and we want to immediately share it with you.
The transition period is stated as 5 years; but we know with experience from the Netherlands and Poland; we feel eventually it will be a very much shorter time – given Covid and the rest.
Even better; it seems that a ban on wild animals in circuses is also to be included in the legislation.
BIG Congrats to all the crew at the FFA – another victory to rid the world of barbaric fur farming.
Regards Mark
FRANCE, 29 SEPTEMBER 2020 – In a historic move, this morning the French minister of Ecological Transition announced to prohibit fur production. The decision follows a recent expose from our French member One Voice of the hideous conditions on France’s last 4 remaining fur farms.
The ban on fur farming will go into force after a 5-year transitional period. Besides the prohibition of fur production, the announced measures also include a ban on wild animals in circuses.
Muriel Arnal, CEO of French animal protection organisation One Voice, says:
“What a hard fight… thanks to all our partners in the Fur Free Alliance for their help in the last moments. We finally have a ban. But it will take place in a very long time compared to the Netherlands. With only 4 remaining farms we expected a much stronger announcement. We will keep on fighting to close down these 4 farms before the deadline set by the ministry of Ecology.”
Last week Fur Free Alliance member organisations around the world urged the French government to take immediate action and shut down France’s last remaining fur farms.
Read our joint letter to French Minister Pomili here.
Recent investigations on French fur farms, recorded in 2017, 2019 and once again in 2020, revealed shocking examples of animal suffering, including mink with physical injuries kept in appalling conditions and displaying stereotypical behaviour. Some of them had injured eyes, missing teeth, missing tails, paralysed and necrotic legs, and skin diseases.
Together with OneVoice we call on the French government to speed up the transitional period and prohibit fur farming at the earliest opportunity.
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Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 