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MEPs given three chances to drastically improve protection of animals
4 May 2009
This week, the European Parliament will be voting on three very important animal welfare dossiers. The last plenary session of this Parliament's mandate will vote on the revised rules for the protection of laboratory animals, revised rules for the protection of animals during killing and the EU ban on trade in seal products.
Animal welfare organisations across the world thus have their eyes fixed on Strasbourg this week, as they and millions of animal welfare supporters now look to MEPs to vote to increase the protection of animals and ultimately persuade EU citizens, in turn, to vote in their favour at the EU Parliament elections in just a month's time.
Eurogroup asks MEPs to support our amendments to the animal experimentation and slaughter proposal and to vote in support of a ban on the trade in seal products.
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Concern over direction of Transport proposal
21 April 2009
Eurogroup For Animals has written to the European Commission to express our concerns over the half-hearted approach adopted by the EU’s institutions in their plans for the creation of new rules aimed at improving the welfare of animals during transport.
The reason behind our concerns is the fact that the current proposal includes provisions we believe will seriously weaken the protection of transported animals by not imposing appropriate measures or including clear specifications. Although we welcome the Commission’s proposal to restrict the transport of animals sent to the slaughterhouse to nine hours, the text allows for an unrestricted number of exemptions that may be granted by member states. The very imprecise definition of “slaughter animals” will also allow transporters to avoid journey time restrictions: if they say the animals are being transported for further fattening, they will be able to transport them longer.
Eurogroup is also concerned that the text does not make reference to a legal basis for real time checks on transport movements via a global positioning unit – a clear necessity if the proposed regulation is to be properly enforced.
By sending this letter, Eurogroup has now asked these concerns to be addressed by the Commission before the proposal is sent to the full College of Commissioners.

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Commission recognises importance welfare of farmed fish
8 April 2009
The European Commission’s Fisheries Directorate has today presented a Communication on the EU’s aquaculture potential. Aquaculture or the farming of aquatic animals including fish and crustaceans and aquatic plants is a growing food sector in the EU and policy makers are looking to increase Europe’s competitiveness and sustainability.
Fish farming has numerous implications for animal welfare and this Communication recognises the importance of the welfare of farmed fish for the development of sustainable aquaculture.
Eurogroup welcomes this clear recognition of welfare concerns and is also pleased to see that the Commission plans to launch a project to evaluate fish welfare in aquaculture with a view to possibly introducing legislation on this topic.

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MEPs
miss opportunity in animal experimentation vote
1 April 2009
Eurogroup
for Animals is deeply disappointed with the results
of the vote of the European Parliament's Agriculture
Committee on the protection of animals used for
scientific purposes yesterday afternoon.
The Agriculture Committee have adopted amendments
that will remove important mechanisms for the
protection of research animals from the proposed
text drafted by the European Commission if these
amendments are also adopted in plenary next month.
Some MEPs have even contradicted themselves by
voting to make it easier to experiment on primates
while they had previously (September 2008) adopted
a resolution calling for non-human primate research
to be phased out.
Eurogroup is particularly disappointed that the
MEPs have allowed for tests to be carried out
on animals that cause severe prolonged suffering.
The authorisation procedure for determining what
testing may be carried out has also been weakened.
Director of Eurogroup for Animals, Sonja Van
Tichelen, is shocked to see the reluctance of
some MEPs to improve the protection of research
animals: "We will be working hard to inform
the Members of Parliament about the impact of
these amendments before they vote on this proposal
in Plenary in May.
This is not a choice between science, the development
of medicines or animals protection. It is about
either choosing to take into account the values
of a large majority of European citizens, or letting
industry get away with unnecessarily using animals.
Our supporters, spread all over the EU, care deeply
about this issue and will be watching closely
to see how their MEPs will vote. With only a few
weeks before the European elections, we will make
sure this will be a key consideration for all
animal welfare supporters when they cast their
vote in June."

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MEPs
gear up for historic vote to decide future of millions
of lab animals
31 March 2009
This
afternoon, an historic vote is to take place in
the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee
which will undoubtedly decide the fate of how
laboratory animals are to be treated for years
to come.
Twenty-three years after the introduction of
the EU's directive for the protection of animals
used for scientific purposes, the EU is finally
revising the outdated rules that have determined
how animal testing may be carried out. The Agriculture
Committee is the lead committee in the Parliament's
deliberations of the dossier and it will vote
on the text that is sent to the Plenary in early
May.
Eurogroup for Animals is concerned that the calls
for the better protection for laboratory animals
may be in vain as some MEPs have been tempted
by the industry and research lobbies to water
down the Commission proposal so as to keep animal
testing as easy as possible. This would be in
sharp contrast to the EU's firm stance dedicated
to reducing the number of animals used and replacing
animal test with alternatives.
Eurogroup urges the members of the Agriculture
Committee to do the right thing by voting for
amendments which will seriously reduce the number
of animals to be used in research. These amendments
will allow for the retaining of the quality of
EU research and competitiveness, but will ensure
better protection for animals and citizens alike.

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European
Parliament says no to food from cloned animals
25 March 2009
An
overwhelming majority of Members of the European
Parliament has today voted against the authorisation
of food products from cloned animals and their
offspring.
MEPs have made it clear that, instead of including
rules on cloning for food production in the EU's
pending novel foods regulation, they want a specific
Commission proposal to prohibit cloning of animals
for food and the import of such products.
Eurogroup for Animals welcomes the Parliament's
call for a ban on the sale of food products from
cloned animals and their offspring as cloned animals
suffer from many defects and often die younger.
Last September, a parliamentary resolution called
on the European Commission to ban cloning, but
the Commission has been delaying action in the
dossier for some time. Today's vote however carries
more weight as the novel foods dossier is following
the co-decision procedure, thereby giving the
Parliament more power in deciding the ultimate
outcome of the legislation.
Sonja Van Tichelen, director of Eurogroup, considers
that the Commission is not respecting its own
rules by delaying rules to ban the cloning of
animals and by doing so the Commission is not
only going against its own legal obligations,
it is also ignoring the clear message sent by
EU citizens: "It is unacceptable that with
so many facts and figures against animal cloning,
the European Commission has not yet taken the
decision to ban it. By not banning cloning for
food production the Commission is telling its
citizens that it finds trade concerns more important
than animal suffering and the concerns of its
citizens."

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European
Parliament committee largely ignores positive slaughter
report
18 March 2009
The
European Parliament's lead committee in the slaughter
dossier has this week done away with the significant
progress made by the European Commission and the
Parliament's rapporteur for the enhancing of the
protection of animals at the time of killing.
The Parliament's Agriculture Committee's vote
on Monday has now weakened both the favourable
proposal drawn up by the European Commission and
the draft report of Janusz Wojciechowski (UEN,
Poland). Both documents included many of Eurogroup
for Animals' demands to limit the suffering of
animals sent to be killed.
Areas that have sadly been weakened concern the
requirement to have an animal welfare officer
present in all slaughterhouses and the requirement
for all abattoir personnel to be trained and granted
a certificate of competence.
Eurogroup is also very disappointed that, as
a result of the vote, it will also be compulsory
for member states to allow the killing of animals
for religious purposes without stunning as an
exemption to the general legal requirement. The
Commission proposal had originally included the
possibility for Member States not to grant such
an exemption.
Eurogroup will now focus all of its attention
on the adoption vote in plenary, scheduled for
7 May 2009, and will make sure that key amendments
are once again proposed.

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Parliament's
industry committee not serious about reducing animal
testing
10 March 2009
Last
night, the European Parliament's Industry, Research
and Energy (ITRE) Committee voted on the report
by Esko Seppänen which states that as long
as animals continue to be used in experiments,
they deserve the highest level of protection.
This statement is, however, in sharp contrast
to a number of amendments proposed by other MEPs
that give the impression that scientists will
be given almost complete freedom when it comes
to research. The ITRE committee supports the use
of alternative non-animal methods but will only
accept those methods which have been internationally
accepted.
The principle of using alternatives whenever
available has been embedded in EU law since 1986
and it is very much at the heart of efforts to
reduce the number of animals used in research.
These efforts to remove that provision are most
disconcerting as it can take years of bureaucracy
before alternative methods are accepted internationally.
During this lengthy waiting period, animals will
continue to suffer in spite of the fact that scientifically
accepted alternatives exist.
A full plenary vote is expected to take place
in May. Eurogroup for Animals will now step up
its efforts to inform MEPs of the benefits and
the urgent need to speed up the development and
the use of alternative methods.

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Live
transport: commissioner welcomes Handle With Care
petition
27 February
2009
Eurogroup
for Animals presented the EU commissioner for
health, Androulla Vassiliou, with a petition of
over 150,000 signatures to end the long-distance
transport of live animals yesterday.
Eurogroup is part of a global coalition of animal
welfare organisations that have been campaigning
for decades to end the long distance transport
of live animals.
Mrs Vassiliou received the Handle With Care delegation
for a short meeting and then took part in a short
press briefing and photocall.
In her speech, the commissioner reiterated her
commitment to initiate legislation that will impose
restrictions on the duration of live animal transport
and the revision of elements in the transport
regulation that currently hinder its proper enforcement:
"If member states systematically fail to
ensure the correct implementation of EU legislation,
the Commission can take infringement proceedings.
I have made a commitment that the Commission would
consider the possibility, before the end of this
mandate, to review certain elements of the current
Regulation that make its proper enforcement difficult
and are not in line with scientific advice, like
travel times and space allowances."
"The Commission is aware that long distance
transport of animals for commercial purposes may
cause serious suffering to animals. I am appalled
by the images of such suffering that have been
brought to my attention", Mrs. Vassiliou
said.

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Outrage
over live plucking of geese
12 February 2009
Eurogroup
members were shocked to learn that Hungarian geese
farmers are still resorting to the feather plucking
of live geese.
The matter was brought to light by the Kalla Fakta
programme aired by the Swedish broadcaster TV4.
The documentary shows the birds being plucked
alive whilst trying to escape the grasp of farm
workers.
Following the original broadcast and the outrage
it has caused among the Scandinavian public and
animal welfare organisations alike, many other
European television stations have decided to broadcast
the programme.
Eurogroup members including Dyrenes Beskyttelse
(Denmark), Djurskyddet Sverige (Sweden) and the
Finnish organisation SEY have all taken action
to attempt to stop these practices and to raise
awareness among consumers about products that
contain goose down.
Following the uproar Swedish home improvement
retail chain IKEA has issued a statement that
it is very concerned about this issue and that
it has launched an investigation into the geese
farms it commissions to produce its products.
The plucking of live birds is prohibited in Hungary
(and indeed in most EU member countries; with
the exception of Estonia, Romania and Slovakia)
under the Council of Europe recommendations concerning
domestic geese.
Click read more to view the documentary online
[in Swedish; link may expire]

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Cloning:
commissioner urges EU to "act now"
4 February 2009
The EU commissioner on agriculture and rural development
has spoken out about the EU's ongoing discussions on
the issue of the cloning of animals for food production
and urges the European Union to take immediate action.
Mariann Fischer Boel has addressed the issue of cloning
on her personal blog, where she seconded Eurogroup for
Animals' call for the EU not to dismiss clear signals
given by scientists and consumers to ban the cloning
of animals for food.
Fischer Boel writes: "I do not want to go back
to the dark days of the "mad cow" crisis.
There is no lack of quality meat and prices are affordable.
Allowing cloning would only benefit a handful of companies
while it could undermine consumer confidence in farmers
and food producers. It is not about protecting European
farmers' market shares; it's merely about being reasonable,
especially in view of public opinion."
The commissioner does, however, not advocate a complete
ban on cloning as she condones the practice of cloning
to ensure the survival of certain animal species or
in the field of medical research.

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Eurogroup
to protest against Brazilian exports of live animals to
Italy
28 January 2009

The Italian and Brazilian authorities and meat industry
of are currently in the midst of negotiating the matter
of the transport of live cattle from the Brazilian state
of Santa Catarina to northern Italy. Transporting animals
to that destination would entail a journey by sea that
would take at least 17 days.
Eurogroup for Animals and its Italian member Lega Anti
Vivisezione are appalled by these plans and are planning
to contact the European Commission and the Italian ministry
to protest against these shipments.
Eurogroup for Animals director Sonja Van Tichelen pointed
out: "This is a clear example of unnecessary lengthy
transport which we would like to see halted in the future.
The EU transport rules state that 'long journeys should
be limited as far as possible' and 'long journeys are
likely to have more detrimental effects on the welfare
of animals than short ones', but these arguments are
rarely considered.
"As many as 15,000 to 100,000 animals are expected
to embark on this long journey in the near future. If
Italian consumers insist on having Brazilian meat, we
suggest that they transport the meat instead of live
animals."
It is hoped that this barbaric trade will soon be halted
as the European Commission is due to finalise its proposal
on the limiting of journey times before the summer.
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Conference
calls for collaboration on animal welfare
22 January 2009
An
international conference has called for collaboration
on animal welfare to meet the challenges of climate
change, increasing food demand, and the need to remain
competitive in a global marketplace.
The Conference on Global Trade and Farm Animal Welfare
took place in Brussels on 20 and 21 January, during
which it was concluded that adopting higher welfare
farming methods would bring benefits to the farmer,
consumer, environment, and developed and developing
countries alike. This could be facilitated by sharing
best practice and assisting developing countries with
their farming.
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Conference
to explore trade opportunities of animal welfare
19 January 2009
A
Brussels conference will this week show what trade opportunities
higher standards for animal welfare have to offer. On
20 and 21 January the Conference on Global Trade and
Farm Animal Welfare will bring together anyone from
farmers, retailers, politicians, academics, international
institutions and animal welfare organisations to present
positive experiences of inclusion of animal welfare
in the trade environment. This event, which follows
a successful forum held in Brussels last April, is being
organised by the Directorate-General for External Trade
and the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers
of the European Commission, together with Eurogroup
for Animals, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals, Compassion in World Farming, and World Society
for the Protection of Animals.
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MEPs
question Commission on enforcement of live transport rules
15 January 2009
MEPs
urged the Commission to ensure the rules on protection
of animals in transport are properly enforced during
an oral question in the European Parliament today. Many
of the speakers spoke about the necessity to give this
due attention as a civilised society should treat animals
properly. In addition to raising doubts about how rules
were being adhered to, some MEPs recalled the need for
limiting journey times as the only way to ensure animal
welfare.
Apart from criticising member states, MEPs also asked
the Commission to increase the number of controls by
the Food and Veterinary Ovffice as well as coming forward
with the much awaited new Commission proposal on limiting
journey times and stocking densities.
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European
Commission guilty of ignoring its own legislation
14 January 09
Eurogroup
for Animals, which represents animal welfare organisations
from all over Europe, will be filing a complaint of
maladministration against the European Commission with
the European Ombudsman. By delaying action on the cloning
of animals for food, the Commission has failed to respect
the EU directive for the protection of farm animals,
which states that reproduction techniques which cause
animals to suffer cannot be used. Commissioners decided
yesterday in Strasbourg to once again put off submitting
a proposal, claiming more scientific answers were needed
as well as a debate with international trading partners.
Eurogroup for Animals is appalled by this wait-and-see
approach as all the scientific evidence clearly demonstrates
that cloning is harmful for the animals.
Eurogroup director Sonja Van Tichelen said: "We
are shocked that the Commission is disrespecting its
own rules because it values trade relations over the
welfare of animals and the wishes of consumers. The
Commission has let down animals and people by failing
to propose a ban on the cloning of animals for food.
The wasteful practice has been shown to cause animals
to suffer at every stage, yet the Commission has chosen
to ignore all the scientific evidence, the majority
of Europeans who are against it, as well as the advice
of the EU's own institutions.
"Eurogroup will be calling on member states to
apply the directive for the protection of farm animals
and introduce national bans if the Commission continues
to do nothing."
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Canada
changes seal hunt rules to avoid EU ban
8 January 09
Canada
has tweaked its seal hunt rules in an attempt to mask
the inherent cruelty of it and avoid being hit by an
EU ban on seal products. The European Commission proposed
last July a ban on the trade and import of seal products
except for those countries that could prove their seals
had been killed "humanely". Canada has now
made minor changes to its regulations for the annual
seal hunt, such as a ban on the use of the hakapik on
seals older than one year, which would affect only less
than one percent of the seals killed.
Sonja Van Tichelen, director of Eurogroup for Animals,
said: "These adjustments will not fool anyone.
The hunt will remain as cruel as it has ever been. It
is impossible to ensure each seal is killed humanely
as the hunt takes place over a vast area in difficult
circumstances. The EU should go ahead with a ban and
not have any exemptions for seals that were 'supposedly'
killed humanely."
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Great
hopes for 2009
23 December 08
2009
already promises to be a great year for animals with
an EU ban on the trade in cat and dog fur coming into
force in January. Eurogroup members campaigned for the
ban after discovering many manufacturers used pelts
from cats and dogs for clothing and toys without labelling
them as such.
Eurogroup hopes that the new year will also bring many
other improvements for animals such as an EU trade ban
on seal products and a ban on products from cloned animals.
It also wishes there will be progress on legislative
proposals to protect the welfare of animals at the time
of slaughter and animals used in research and that there
will be new legislation proposed to protect live animals
being transported.
To help achieve this Eurogroup will continue to work
on behalf of the millions of animals throughout Europe
in 2009 and beyond.
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Prison
sentence for causing animals to suffer and die during
transport
16 December 08
A
lorry driver who caused animals to suffer and die during
transport has been given an eight month prison sentence.
The Dutchman was found guilty by an Italian court due
to exceeding the permitted loading density and journey
time, exposing the animals to excessive temperatures,
an for failing to provide rest and water for the animals.
The case was brought by Animals Angels and Eurogroup
member Lega Antivivisezione (LAV).
Animals Angels investigators alerted the police
when they observed the vehicle in Italy in July 2005.
When the vehicle was stopped, dead and dying pigs were
discovered on top of each other. Blood was running down
the walls, while some of the pigs had started to cannibalise
the others.
Animals Angels and LAV will now also be pursuing
the transport company after the judge recognised both
parties as civil parties, which gives them the right
to seek compensation for damages.
Eurogroup director Sonja Van Tichelen said: It
is great that the judge recognised the severity of the
offences and landed the driver with an eight-month prison
sentence. Pigs are sentient beings capable of suffering
the same way as humans.
This case again highlights the need for stricter
enforcement. EU member states should do all they can
to check companies follow legislation to protect the
welfare of animals during transport.
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Film
exposes welfare issues in slaughterhouses
11 December 08
Serious
welfare problems at German slaughterhouses have been
exposed in a film produced by director Manfred Karremann
and Eurogroup member Deutscher Tierschutzbund. The shocking
images broadcast at German national television show
how slaughterhouses in the country still fail to minimise
the suffering of the animals involved. It can still
happen that cows or pigs are slaughtered without any
stunning.
The European Commission proposed in September 2008
new legislation to improve the welfare of animals at
the time of slaughter.
Eurogroup director Sonja Van Tichelen said: If
these difficulties already exist in a country such as
Germany, you can only imagine what problems persist
in the rest of the EU. It shows once again that urgent
action is needed.
The EU should approve the new legislation regarding
slaughter as soon as possible as this is something that
affects millions of animals each day.
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Portuguese
zoos break EU animal protection rules
9 December 08
Eurogroup
for Animals has lodged a formal complaint with the European
Commission in protest of the poor conditions animals
are being kept in at Portuguese zoos. Under European
legislation Portugal was obligated to have inspected
and licensed all its zoos by April 2005 at the latest.
Nearly four years later, 20% of Portuguese zoos are
still unlicensed and thus operating illegally. Some
of the zoos that are licensed do not respect legal requirements.
An investigation by Eurogroup has uncovered many shortcomings
that put both the animals and the public at risk.
Problems found at Portuguese zoos vary from barren
enclosures, to highly social animals being housed in
isolation, and animals of different species being kept
together inappropriately. Some animals have been seen
to mutilate themselves and behave aggressively towards
other animals.
In addition safety and security risks were identified
for animals and visitors alike. Many animals are kept
in enclosures that could easily be opened by the public.
In one case a lemur monkey was found to be outside the
enclosure as it was able to pass through the mesh.
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Action
needed on illegal home slaughter
5 December 08
Authorities
are urged to ensure ritual slaughter during the feast
of Eid al-Adha will only take place in licensed slaughter
houses. On December 8 Muslims commemorate Abraham's
willingness to sacrifice his son to God and as part
of the festivities sheep are slaughtered.
Eurogroup for Animals calls on authorities to check
for any illegal home slaughter which could cause animals
to suffer needlessly. Under European legislation sheep
slaughter without stunning is only allowed to take place
in licensed slaughterhouses by professionals. Eurogroup
members will be monitoring the situation in the various
member states.
Director Sonja Van Tichelen said: "Slaughter should
only be done by trained professionals in licensed slaughterhouses
to help minimise the suffering of the animals. We would
ask everyone to do all they can to make this happen."
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Report
highlights problems with farming sea bass and sea bream
28 November 08
Welfare
problems with the farming of European sea bass and gilthead
sea bream have been identified in a newly published
report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
The risk assessment outcomes showed there could be problems
with handling and with poorly formulated feed and poor
storage. Also there was a lack of available authorised
anaesthetics for use in broodstock.
The EFSA report stated that management practices should
be implemented to minimise disturbance to the fish.
An important hazard is diseases spreading.
Although fish farming is increasingly becoming more
popular in Europe, there are still no legal standards
for it. Currently EFSA is working on scientific opinions
on the animal welfare aspects of husbandry systems for
various fish.
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More
money for rural development
20 November 08
EU
agriculture ministers have agreed to move more money
from direct payments to rural development, which could
benefit practices such as organic farming. The spending
increase is part of a political agreement on the health
check of the EU's common agricultural policy. The extra
funds will have to be used to fund ways to tackle new
challenges, including measures to fight climate change.
This could include measures that will benefit animal
welfare at the same time, such as extensive free range
and organic farming.
Eurogroup for Animals welcomes the increase in rural
development spending, but regrets agriculture ministers
did not adopt the higher figures proposed by the Commission.
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Commission
launches game to educate children on farm welfare
13 November 08
The
European Commission has launched an internet game designed
to teach children more about farm animals and the conditions
that are needed to secure their welfare.
Farmland,
the name of the game, introduces children to a virtual
farm where they are needed to build an animal-welfare
friendly environment, feed the animals and take care
of their general well-being. The website was launched
within the scheme of the European Vet Week (10-16 November
2008) and is available in nine languages (English, French,
German, Greek, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish and Swedish).
EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou stressed
the importance of offering this type of tools to Europe's
children: "Information and communication play an
important role in helping us to understand the value
of animals in our society. We have a duty to inform
our children about the origin and production ojf food
and to raise awareness about animals and how they should
be handled and treated. With 'Farmland' we believe we
achieve these objectives in a way that is also interesting
and entertaining for our children."

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International
conference on trade opportunities animal welfare has to
offer
10 November 08
A
conference showing the benefits higher standards for
animal welfare have to offer to international trade
will take place in Brussels on 20 and 21 January 2009.
The Conference on Global Trade and Farm Animal Welfare
will bring together anyone from farmers, retailers,
politicians, academics, international institutions and
animal welfare organisations to present positive experiences
of inclusion of animal welfare in the trade environment.
This event, which follows a forum held in Brussels
last April, is being organised by the Directorate-General
for External Trade and the Directorate-General for Health
and Consumers of the European Commission, together with
Eurogroup for Animals, Royal Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals, Compassion in World Farming,
and World Society for the Protection of Animals.
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EU
institutions urged to make new animal experimentation
law a priority
5 November 08
Eurogroup
for Animals calls on the European Parliament and the
Council to take up discussions of the long-awaited proposal
for a new directive on animal experimentation announced
today as a matter of priority. If the new proposal is
not discussed in Parliament by the time of the next
European elections in June 2009, the legislation risks
being significantly delayed.
Eurogroup director Sonja Van Tichelen said: Every
day this new legislation is not enacted, thousands more
animals will suffer. This new proposal has been eagerly
awaited for years and any further delay would be simply
unacceptable.
The Commission, which published the proposal today,
has been working on the revision of directive 86/609/EEC
since 2002 and its publication was delayed several times
this year. With existing legislation dating from 1986
it is high time to consider new scientific developments
as well as the ever growing concern of EU citizens about
animal testing. In a public consultation, 93% of respondents
said more needs to be done to improve the level of welfare/protection
of animals used in experiments by action at EU level.
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Call
for stricter controls on live animal transport
21 October 08
Eurogroup
is calling for stricter controls on live animal transport
after further evidence emerged of widespread welfare
problems. The EU's Food and Veterinary Office has published
two reports criticising transport live transport in
Italy and Germany.
The FVO report for Italy said the procedures for enforcing
EU regulations in some regions are still "generally
insufficient" and that there was a substantial
number of cases where not enough was done to prevent
unnecessary suffering during transport. The report on
Germany only checked Lower Saxony but discovered there
was a lack of control by the veterinary authorities
of journey logs and the checking of the competence or
training of staff.
Meanwhile the number of violations during animal transport
in the Netherlands doubled during the first part of
this year compared to the same period last year. This
has been attributed to a significant increase in the
number of inspections.
Director Sonja Van Tichelen commented: "It is
clear that a better control system is urgently needed
to guarantee the welfare of animals during transport.
It is unacceptable that so many of them should suffer
when so much of it can be prevented. Controls should
be toughened up to ensure companies will not be able
to get away with this.
"We call on the Commission and members states
to introduce a satellite navigation system which would
allow authorities to follow the trucks in real time
without even leaving their office. The technology exists
and is accepted in other sectors of industry."
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MEPs
urged to make their mark for animals
15 October 08
Candidates
for next year's European elections are being asked to
include objectives for animal welfare in their policy
programme for the 2009-14 Parliament. Eurogroup for
Animals has produced a manifesto with five clear objectives
to improve the lives of animals in Europe. It is urging
each political group to include it in its 2009 election
programme. The objectives are to improve farm animal
welfare, reduce animal experiments, protect pets, conserve
and respect wildlife, and to implement and enforce legislation.
Sonja Van Tichelen, director of Eurogroup for Animals,
said: "Voters care deeply about what happens to
animals, so they will want to know what Members of Parliament
will do to protect them. In many cases it could be the
deciding factor when they cast their vote. We urge politicians
to take up the challenge and lead on animal welfare
issues."
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European
consumers reject products from cloned animals
9 October 08
Nearly
six out of ten people in Europe (58%) feel that animal
cloning for food production should never be justified,
according to a Eurobarometer
survey published today. In addition, 43% said they were
"not at all likely" to buy food from cloned
animals while 41% said they would not consider products
from the offspring of cloned animals.
The survey was commissioned by the European Commission
to help it decide whether it should approve the controversial
practice within the EU.
Eurogroup for Animals has welcomed the survey and urges
the Commission to propose a ban on animal cloning for
food, which is a wasteful practice that causes animals
to suffer at every stage. This should also include a
ban on the import and marketing of products derived
from it.
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UN
urged to put animal welfare on the agenda
30 September 08
A
coalition of leading international animal welfare organisations,
including Eurogroup for Animals, has called on the UN's
Food & Agriculture Organisation (UN FAO) to place
the welfare of animals on its agenda for the first time.
The call comes as a panel of international experts,
appointed by the FAO's Animal Production and Health
Division, begins discussions at the first ever 'Expert
Meeting On Capacity Building To Implement Good Animal
Welfare Practices' in Rome (30 Sept - 3 Oct).
The coalition of animal welfare organisations has issued
a set of 10 recommendations for the UN FAO to include
animal welfare considerations in all its actions. Improving
the health and welfare of animals would bring considerable
benefits to farmers and their families, especially in
developing nations, help protect the environment, support
trade, ensure effective preparation for and recovery
from disasters, as well as address the growing global
demand for higher welfare practices and production systems.
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Presidency
says no to battery cage ban delay
26 September 08
The French minister of agriculture, Michel Barnier,
spoke out against delaying the ban on the use of battery
cages for laying hens this Wednesday. Mr Barnier was
a guest speaker at the Intergroup on Welfare and Conservation
of Animals meeting taking place in Brussels.
When asked if he would consider pushing back the 2012
ban to a later date, Mr Barnier said: I would
not like us to go back on that date. I would not like
to see it
postponed. That is the Council position, that battery
farming should cease on that day.
Eurogroup has welcomed the position taken by the French
and hopes that this may encourage egg farmers to make
the most of the three years they have left to make the
necessary changes to their infrastructure.
Sonja Van Tichelen, director of Eurogroup, feels the
time has now come to stop stalling: They have
had almost nine years to prepare. It is now time to
act and stop complaining that there is not sufficient
time
left.
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Slaughter
proposals hailed as boost to animal welfare
18 September 08
Eurogroup
for Animals has welcomed Commission proposals to overhaul
the current slaughter directive with improvements such
as introducing animal welfare officers in slaughterhouses
and requiring all staff working with animals to have
their competence assessed. The planned revision of directive
93/119/EC on the protection of animals at the time of
slaughter or killing also includes the creation of animal
welfare reference centres in each member state, which
can be used to get technical advice. They will also
be responsible for assessing new methods, equipment
and technologies.
Sonja Van Tichelen, director of Eurogroup for Animals,
said: "These proposals are a step in the right
direction and will benefit millions of animals. It is
unacceptable in a civilised society that animals have
to suffer in their final moments. So much of their suffering
can be avoided or decreased by having well-trained staff
and by using appropriate stunning techniques."
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EU urged to hurry
up on research animals
10 September 08
Eurogroup
for Animals has written to the Commission to ask them
to finally publish the long-awaited revision of the
directive regulating the protection of animals used
in testing in research. The current directive has been
left unchanged since 1986 and needs urgent updating
to incorporate the latest scientific research. Although
the revision was announced in 2003, the Commission still
has not made its plans public.
Eurogroup's president Mike Baker urged President Barroso
to convince his colleague Commissioners to agree on
a proposal as soon as possible: "This new legislation
could do much to help reduce the need for millions of
animals being used every year. It would be in everyone's
interest to publish the proposal and start the public
debate."
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Eat less meat, says UN climate expert
9
September 08
The
United Nations top climate expert is urging people
to eat less meat to help reduce damage to the environment.
Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the UN Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate change, said a diet adjustment could
be one of the easiest measures that could be taken.
In terms
of immediacy of action and the feasibility of bringing
about reductions in a short period of time, it clearly
is the most attractive opportunity, he said. Give
up meat for one day [a week] initially, and decrease
it from there.
Eurogroup for animals has welcomed
his comments as it also believes eating less meat is
better for the planet. According to the UN Food and
Agriculture Organisation, livestock accounts for nearly
a fifth of all greenhouse-gas emissions. [See
also: Less meat to help save the planet]
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MEPs vote to support ban on cloning
3 September 08
European
parliamentarians today voted with an overwhelming majority
in favour of a resolution proposing to ban cloning of
animals for food. No fewer than 630 MEPs voted in favour
and only 32 against. The motion for resolution was initiated
by the Intergroup on Animal Welfare, and urges the Commission
to prohibit cloning of animals for food and any products
from cloned animals and their offspring. Cloning is
an inefficient process that causes animals to suffer
at every stage.
The news has been welcomed by Eurogroup for Animals,
which provides the secretariat for the Intergroup and
which has been campaigning against cloning for food.
Director Sonja Van Tichelen said: "After MEPs
voted with such an overwhelming majority to oppose cloning
of animals for food, the Commission can't afford to
ignore their message. It is now up to the Commission
to take up the challenge and act to stop cloning of
animals for food being approved in the EU."
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Less
meat to help save the planet
21 August 08
People
should eat less meat to help tackle the challenge of
climate change, according to Eurogroup for Animals.
The animal welfare organisation is taking part in a
consultation by the European Commission on what the
European Union's approach to a global climate change
agreement should be. Eurogroup is advising to cut back
on meat, and when people do eat meat it should be produced
to higher animal welfare standards.
The major impact livestock production has on climate
change was highlighted in a report by the UN Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO): Livestock's
Long Shadow - Environmental Issues and Options.
Livestock and related activities such as deforestation
and increasingly fuel-intensive farming practices are
responsible for more than 18% of human made greenhouse
gas emissions. This is more than the global emissions
of the transport sector.
Livestock farming also contributes excessively to
land use effects, since enormous amounts of crops are
cultivated in order to feed the animals. Worldwide,
livestock production occupies 70% of all land used for
agriculture, which corresponds to 30% of the Earth's
land surface.
Global meat production is expected to double to 465
million tonnes in 2050 due to people eating more meat
and diary products.
Eurogroup director Sonja Van Tichelen said: "Climate
change is something that will affect all of us, but
by adjusting our diet we can already make a difference.
Eating less meat will not only benefit your health,
it will also lead to fewer harmful emissions. And by
choosing to buy only meat produced to higher animal
welfare standards you will help animals and the climate
alike."
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Call
to stop painful slaughter method
12 August 08
The
painful practice of hanging birds upside down for slaughter
should be phased out over the next few years, according
to an influential organisation dedicated to animal welfare.
The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC), an independent
body which advises the British government, has been
researching the slaughter of birds such as broilers,
turkeys and geese, and will be releasing a report in
the next few months. Professor David Henderson said
they were greatly concerned about so-called live shackling.
This involves hanging birds upside down in a shackle.
It is known to be painful for birds as it puts pressure
on the periosteum, a very sensitive tissue.
Eurogroup for Animals welcomes their comments, as it
is already campaigning for live shackling to be phased
out. Currently poultry are shackled on automated lines
whenever electrical waterbaths are used to stun the
animals.
The European Food Safety Authority said that hanging
birds upside down on shackles is extremely stressful,
and that this physiologically abnormal position can
also lead to many injuries and occasional painful pre
stun shocks.
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Call
for quick decision on primates at risk
of
extinction
7 August 08
Eurogroup urges the European Commission to adopt new
legislation on animals used in research as soon as possible
after new figures revealed that half of the world's
primates species are at risk of extinction. It is expected
that the new EU rules will include an end to the use
of wild-caught primates and great apes for research,
whereas Eurogroup will be campaigning for a full phase-out
of primate testing.
This week a review of the world's 634 kinds of primates
species was published showing that almost half of them
are being threatened with extinction. This has been
reason for Eurogroup for Animals to write to the Commission
to urge them to hurry up with the publication of their
proposal which has already been delayed for months.
The revision could do much to help reduce the need for
millions of animals being used in tests but in particular
for the 10,000 primates being used each year.
Director Sonja Van Tichelen said: "The capturing,
transport and confinement of wild-caught primates is
extremely stressful for such highly intelligent and
social animals. There is no justification for the use
of wild-caught animals in testing and we would like
to see an EU ban in place as a matter of urgency.
"If the EU is serious about contributing to maintaining
biodiversity, addition to the use of primates in research,
the EU should carefully monitor the import of primates
for other purposes and introduce restrictions in order
to protect wild populations."
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Animal
welfare champion passes away
1 August 08
A
leading animal welfare supporter has died suddenly after
campaigning for more than 50 years.
Hans-Peter Haering worked tirelessly to make the world
a better place for animals, and served as both director
of the Schweizer Tierschutz STS and president of the
World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).
His first steps as animal welfare campaigner were taken
in 1956, when he became the secretary of the Basler
Tierschutzvereins and in 1960 he became director of
the Schweitzer Tierschutz STS. Mr Haering joined WSPA
in 1960 and was made president in 1996. His dedicated
work to animal welfare was recognised in 2004 with the
WSPA's Janeth Demoth-Award.
Eurogroup for Animals is sad to hear of his death. WSPA
and the Schweitzer Tierschutz STS are members of Eurogroup,
and through the years there were many opportunities
to campaign together.
Director Sonja Van Tichelen said: "The death of
Hans-Peter Haering is a great loss to the world of animal
welfare, and he will be greatly missed. His work was
an inspiration to everyone who is dedicated to improve
the treatment of animals."
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Call
for ban on cloning following publication
EFSA report
24 July 08
Eurogroup for Animals is calling for the European Commission
to ban the cloning of animals for food immediately after
a report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
published today outlined grave concerns over its impact
on animal welfare while emphasising there are still
too many uncertainties about the technology.
Eurogroup for Animals, which helped to advise EFSA
on the animal welfare aspects, is now urging the Commission
to ban the trade and import of products from cloned
animals and their offspring once and for all. It is
also encouraging the Commission to listen to the advice
of its own European Group on Ethics which concluded
in January there is no justifiable reason to approve
cloning for food. Cloning is an incredibly wasteful
process with only about five animals out of a 100 being
born alive. The ones who do live die earlier and suffer
from more defects than normal animals.
Sonja Van Tichelen, director of Eurogroup for Animals,
said: "The science is now there. The evidence is
clear: there are problems with it.
"The EU is now obligated to follow its own rules.
Under the general farm directive a breeding technique
that causes suffering should not be allowed. The treaty
protocol on animal welfare says full regards should
be paid to the welfare of animals. In the light of these
legal obligations, it leaves the EU with only one option:
to ban animal cloning for food."
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EU shows
it is serious about animal welfare
with seal trade ban
The European Union today showed it is willing to fight
over animal welfare with a proposed trade ban on seal
products. Following trade bans on cosmetics tested on
animals and cruelly produced fur of cat and dogs, the
European Commission today believes that a trade ban
on animal welfare grounds is an acceptable measure in
terms of world trade rules.
The European Commission today adopted a proposal to
ban the trade and import of seal products throughout
the EU, but included exemptions for countries that can
prove that their seals were killed humanely.
Eurogroup welcomes the proposal as a step in the right
direction, but feels a comprehensive ban is needed to
ensure that countries are not using the loopholes to
continue the cruel seal hunts.
Director Sonja Van Tichelen said: " We see the
proposal as a victory of public moral, the wishes of
citizens over pure trade concerns. We need to have the
right to refuse products on our markets which are produced
with animal suffering.
"We will be calling on the European Parliament
and the member states to strip the proposal of its exemptions
and turn it into something Europeans can be proud of."
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Eurogroup
director honoured with award
Eurogroup
director Sonja Van Tichelen has been given a prestigious
award in honour of her contribution to animal welfare.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(RSPCA) presented her with the award during its annual
general meeting on 28 June. The British animal welfare
organisation, which is one of the largest in the world,
praised the way Mrs Van Tichelen had transformed Eurogroup
into a modern, well-run organisation, and how her strategic
thinking and organisation skills have led to important
wins for animals such as bans on the battery cage and
an end to the use of veal crates.
Mrs Van Tichelen joined Eurogroup as a campaign coordinator
in 1992. In 1997 she was promoted to deputy director
before becoming director in 2004. Under her leadership,
Eurogroup embarked on an ambitious expansion programme
to represent animal welfare organisations all over the
European Union. It is now the number one organisation
for advising European institutions on animal welfare
issues, while it continues to succeed in getting the
Union to adopt higher legal standards.
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Salmon
report links health to welfare
Good welfare is vital to the health of Atlantic salmon,
according to a new opinion published by the European
Food Safety Authority (EFSA). It was asked by the
European Commission to deliver a scientific opinion
on the animal welfare aspects of husbandry systems for
farmed Atlantic salmon.
The report states that poor welfare makes the fish
more susceptible to diseases, and encourages the adoption
of measures to improve welfare at each stage of the
life cycle. Water quality and stocking density were
cited as factors that are essential to the welfare of
Atlantic salmon.
Eurogroup for Animals welcomes that the report explicitly
links the fish's health to their welfare, and calls
for welfare standards for fish farming to be improved.
Scientific research has shown that fish are capable
of perceiving pain and as such are entitled to being
treated well.
Aquaculture is a rapidly expanding business and 40%
of fish consumed come from fish farms. They are farmed
in a very intensive way, which means a large number
of fish is being kept in a small area. As a result there
are health and welfare problems.
Now that the EU's action plan on sustainable aquaculture
is being revised this autumn, Eurogroup would like to
see the adoption of standards for animal welfare for
farmed fish in line with available scientific studies.
There will be other EFSA scientific opinions coming
up on fish such as trout and sea bass.
To read a CIWF report on the issue, click here.
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