EC to further develop cooperation with China on animal welfare and surgical castration of piglets

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EC to further develop cooperation with China on animal welfare and surgical castration of piglets

18 May 2020
News
Commissioner Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission answers to an oral written question by Sirpa Pietikäinen MEP inquiring on the actions the EU Commission will undertake to promote immunocastration or the farming of entire pigs as valid alternatives to surgical castration in China.
In 2019, the Commission published a study establishing best practices on the production, the processing and the marketing of meat from uncastrated pigs or pigs vaccinated against boar taint (immunocastrated). This study was part of a pilot project proposed by the European Parliament. As a follow up, the Commission is now disseminating the best practices established by the study. The dissemination materials are foreseen to be translated also into Chinese. The Commission has regular contacts with the Chinese competent authorities where, inter alia, animal welfare issues are discussed and promoted. The Commission will further develop the cooperation on animal welfare with the Chinese authorities bearing in mind their sovereignty to apply those rules in their territory.