Equines have varied status within the EU. They can be used for multiple purposes including companionship, leisure, sports, production or work. Sometimes, they fulfil more than one of these roles in their lifetime. Although bred for these other roles, many are subsequently used for meat production purposes. This situation means that equines often fall between the lines of legislation and are not adequately protected.

The objective of this briefing is to define the modalities for inclusion of equines within the different instruments forming the revised animal welfare legislation.

Domesticated to harness their potential as transport and draught power, working Equidae such as horses, donkeys and mules have become an integral part of human history and culture. Lessening labour burdens, assisting agricultural productivity and enabling travel, trade and development, equids demonstrate considerable versatility and can be found in a range of modern-day roles including equestrian sport, tourism, agriculture, forestry and environmental management and as contributors to human wellbeing.

Globally, over 100 million working equids support over 600 million people. The total population of equids within the European Union has been estimated at around seven million.

In a time of increased global dialogue about sustainable practice, particularly within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, working equids should be recognised and provided for, not necessarily as an alternative to modern technology to be employed out of context, but as an existing and complementary contributor to sustainable lives and livelihoods within the EU.

Just under 66.1 million horses are recorded as livestock worldwide, with 6.3 million being slaughtered every year. Equine welfare and the traceability and identification of horses has been a topic of heated discussions in the last few years. In 2013, the European Union was shaken by its own horse meat scandal, when supposed beef products sold at retailers turned out to contain horse meat. It led many consumers to question the content of their food. Longer supply chains and more operators are involved in the equine meat industry compared to other categories of meat, which increases risks for consumers and animals.

NGO investigations, EU audits and scandals have all highlighted the need for greater protection of equine welfare in horse meat production, as well as for improved identification and traceability of horses in order to ensure food safety and prevent fraudulent activities.

Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG), also called Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG), is a hormone extracted from the blood of pregnant mares (female horses). It is used to increase and manage fertility in farmed animals such as pigs, sheep, goats and cattle. Mares are kept on premises, called blood farms, where their blood is collected. eCG is produced in the EU, but the vast majority is imported from non-EU countries and used in animal agriculture throughout the EU.

eCG production and use is in breach of EU law and entails serious welfare concerns. As one species of domesticated animal is used to exploit another, eCG perfectly illustrates the vicious circle of animal abuse. Acknowledging these issues, the EU must take the opportunity of the implementation of the new regulation on veterinary medicinal products, and the revision of the EU animal welfare legislation, to end eCG production, use and imports in the EU.