On the first meeting of the newly elected European Parliament, MEP Anja Hazekamp called on her colleagues who had just taken office to support a committee of inquiry.

"Every day, almost 4 million animals are transported through Europe. A lot goes wrong during those transports. Animals are exposed to extreme temperatures, transports take too long and water and food are not accessible to all animals. Lack of space and abuse are also on. The current European rules for animal transport have been around for fifteen years, but animals are still not properly protected, "says Hazekamp.

The European Parliament has the option of setting up a parliamentary committee of inquiry when there are 'breaches or instances of maladministration in the application of Union law'.