Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

Leaked documents suggest the EU-Mercosur agreement needs to be renegotiated

1 February 2021

The agreement, as it stands now, is a bad deal for animals, nature and people. And it cannot be fixed by simply adding a protocol or a declaration.

Leaked working documents from the French government suggest that for France to consider ratification of the EU-Mercosur agreement, it must either be renegotiated to include new provisions, or new EU legislation must be put in place for instance to impose EU standards to imported products.  

The Commission’s new proposals to solve the conundrum created by the ratification of the EU-Mercosur agreement will only be presented by mid 2021 but several Member States are also preparing a list of “pre-ratification conditions”, as shown by leaked proposals from the French government. The document suggests that the Agreement would either need to be renegotiated, or that new EU legislation should be put in place, before it can be ratified. Among others, the French government proposes: 

The development of “mirror measures”, which means that certain EU health and environmental standards  should apply to imports.

Cooperation against deforestation, for instance through the creation of a traceability system for animal and plant based products in order to identify whether those products are linked to deforestation.

A review of all import tolerances, in order to ensure producers from Mercosur respect the environment. 

The French opposition to the Agreement grew after the release of the French Impact Assessment on the deal which confirmed the threats identified by Eurogroup for Animals: the deal, if implemented, will lead to an increase of EU’s imports of beef and chicken from Mercosur countries, creating further pressure on  EU animal welfare standards. French Prime Minister Jean Castex confirmed in September 2020 that France will oppose the ratification of the EU-Mercosur trade deal in its current shape.  Yet, the proposals made by the French government in the leaked working document do not address our concerns related to the impact of the agreement on animal welfare. For instance, animal welfare standards should have been added to the list of standards that the EU should impose on imported goods. 

In this context, Eurogroup for Animals still calls for a reopening of the negotiations, which should include amongst other: 

A review of the market access offer to further limit the volume granted in tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for animal based products, especially for bovine and chicken meat.

Animal welfare conditions for all trade preferences granted to animal products. 

The clarification that provisions on marking and labelling do not pre-empt the EU from adopting a method of production label that would apply to imports.

A recognition of the precautionary principle in the field of food safety.

Proper monitoring mechanisms to assess the impact of the implementation of the trade deal on the animals, the environment and the people, and the introduction of tools that would allow to revert the negative impact that could be detected by these mechanisms. This could be done by strengthening the TSD chapter and its enforcement mechanisms.

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It’s nice when you get respect and care in your old age…

regards and good night, Venus

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Action alliance – animals do not belong to the circus

A BAN IN ALL BELGIUM APPLIES FROM 2023

A “wild animal ban” has been in effect in circuses in Belgium since 2014.

Now the “fun” on the back of little horses that have to go around in circles for hours will soon come to an end.

After the Brussels and Wallonia regions, Flanders has now also banned pony riding at trade fairs and annual markets

This means that this old-fashioned “attraction” will be banned across Belgium from 2023 after a corresponding transition period.
The operators of the pony carousels are to receive compensation.

It is time to sensitize parents and children to the quiet suffering of animals and to show that there are species-appropriate ways to show children the “happiness of the earth on horseback” – with respect for animals.

The pony carousel is not an authentic riding experience anyway. Parents who want to give their children an authentic experience of the horse are certainly better advised to visit a pony farm. With the prospect of it, many a whining child can be distracted from the pony carousel.

https://www.facebook.com/Aktionsb%C3%BCndnis-Tiere-geh%C3%B6ren-nicht-zum-Circus-596627783718726/

And I mean…Pony carousel! the underrated cruelty to animals.
According to the guideline, the animals are allowed to do their stupid, monotonous laps for four hours.

No, they are not allowed, they have to!
If someone talks about love for animals, he has to learn the term again.

An anachronistic entertainment genre that not only means immense suffering for the animals circling for hours on end and circling to the point of complete exhaustion, but also makes people insensitive and teaches children disastrous things about animals.

These circling child slaves – “riding ponies” run in circles for hours, usually even at high temperatures, and are treated with violence and brutality by their slave owners.

And German? it keeps sleeping!

Not only wild animals are still allowed in the circus, but we also still use pony carousels as an attraction.

A year ago there was an online petition to stop pony riding at a Christmas market – over 27,000 people signed up.

Without success, because the veterinary office allowed pony riding, the petition was hopeless.

It is a shame that animals are still allowed to be abused for dull entertainment in this country.

My best regards to all, Venus

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A TRAGEDY IS LAID DOWN IN THE HIGH NORTH – FINLAND PLANS TO REDUCE ITS WOLF STOCK TO 25 PACKS!

Wolves have always had a difficult time globally.
They are feared and persecuted and the hatred of these wonderful animals has developed into a veritable witch hunt, similar to the fox.

Nowhere is this useful top preacher welcome.

Finland is currently planning the next chapter in the book of cruelty against this pitiful species.
For the winter season 2021/22, an ethically reprehensible and terrible model for wolf management was presented in the icy land in the north.
Among other measures, the population is to be reduced to only 25 wolf packs, i.e. the execution of many of this species is planned, despite massive opposition from nature and animal rights activists, and thus wants to make it equal to neighboring Sweden, where these wonderful animals are already regulated.

A working group was set up by the Ministry of Agriculture to determine the best conservation status for the wolf and this questionable “SOKO Wolf” came to the number of 25 packs.

According to Agriculture Minister Jari Leppä, the legal requirements have been regulated and the massacre is planned for winter 2021/22.

The stock hunt should take place during this time.

This represents an ethical catastrophe and probably only pleases the over-anxious farmers who hate the wolf and the hunters who are already “sharpening their knives” or oiling the barrels of their deadly shotguns.

And I mean…… 150 billion animals are slaughtered worldwide every year, that’s 4756 every second …
As a competitor to this daily massacre, the wolf cannot keep up.

Wild animals make up just 3% of the total biomass of terrestrial vertebrates on earth!
The rest is “use” animals + people!

In 2016, the Norwegian government made a similar shameful decision on the wolf issue
To protect the livestock population (especially sheep), they released 47 wolves to be shot.

That was two-thirds of the population in the whole country.
This is how hunters and their lobbyists regulate life in the forest.

Apart from that: The predators do not practice environmentally damaging factory farming, they eat what is there or starve to death.

Farmers keep thousands of animals in stable, tightly packed, without movement, occupation, or daylight.
The animals stand on slatted floors in their own shit, which is then collected as liquid manure.

Farm animal keepers are crueler. If I’m not crueler, then I don’t use them for my economic interests either.
Animal breeding alone is torture because the animals are bred for maximum performance and have physical problems

No farmer has the right to portray the wolf as a danger
Others are the criminals in livestock farming!

My best regards to all, Venus

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And…a good way to start is by not eating them

regards and good night, Venus

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In the coronavirus pandemic, the demand for dogs and cats has risen sharply in many countries in Europe.
Numerous animals were acquired during the first lockdown.

However, after the travel warning was lifted, owners left them at the animal shelter or simply put them on the street.

They often underestimate the responsibility and the time it takes to look after dogs, cats, birds, or other small animals.
They are overwhelmed.

Members of Parliament in France want to increase the barriers to getting a pet and make sure they get in the best possible hands.
A draft law on a new animal welfare law was passed in France this Wednesday. 🇫🇷

The changes at a glance:
– There will be higher penalties for mistreatment of animals, namely three years imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros.

– When purchasing an animal, a certificate must be signed for information, in which duties as a holder, such as vaccinations, necessary doctor visits, and appropriate feeding are listed.

– Only professional breeders and animal shelters are allowed to sell online.

– Animals are no longer allowed to be sold in pet shops.

https://www.nw.de/umwelt/22944905_Frankreich-moechte-Online-Verkauf-von-Hunden-und-Katzen-verbieten.html

And I mean...If you want to have an animal roommate with you, you should ask yourself whether you are willing to give the animal enough time and care.
Whether you even have the resources for it.

And then, if you are sure, always contact the local animal shelter.

There you get the best advice and the employees are very concerned about the welfare of the animals.

Anyone who has ever taken in someone from the shelter knows:

Sometimes the best friends come from the shelter.
🐶🐱🐰🐹🐭❤️

My best regards to all, Venus

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