A senior commission official has admitted it is currently “impossible” to ban the controversial trade in live animals.

Speaking to parliament’s newly created special animal welfare committee, Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General of Health and Food Safety at the Commission, sympathised with MEPs who voiced concern about the injury and suffering caused to animals during transport across Europe.

She said everything was being done to ensure hauliers comply with current regulations but conceded, “We are not able to ban this at present.”

But, in response to growing calls for a ban on exports of live animals, she revealed that the Commission plans to revise existing legislation on animal transportation.