There are very few issues on which such a vast majority of Europeans are joined as that which condemns cruelty to animals. This profound repugnance has found expression in the Treaty for the Functioning of the EU in article 13, which exhorts EU institutions to “pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals” in formulating and implementing policy and legislation in the relevant areas.
Animal welfare policy formulation and securing implementation of relevant legislation fall squarely within my portfolio as European commissioner.
It is an area of responsibility with a long history that is now entering what can be described as its mature phase. The profound abhorrence of cruelty is a noble sentiment that has been channelled successfully into securing better welfare conditions for animals. Over the years, targeted campaigns have produced better conditions for animals across the EU and, in some instances, farther afield.
Specific goals were selected and produced targeted laws often with highly prescriptive provisions detailing, for example, the size of cages or the number of animals of a given species that can be loaded onto a vehicle of a given size. The detailed legislation has ironically sometimes added to the disappointment experienced by some EU citizens when they find that, in other animal welfare areas, no EU legislation exists at all.
This patchwork of laws, with some disconcerting gaps, is a consequence of three decades of debate, practice and research. For the first time, it has been acknowledged that a more holistic and sustainable approach is needed to ensure that gaps are addressed and welfare outcomes for animals are the real target of our action.
In the last year, the European Commission published its report on the transport of animals and also its animal welfare strategy 2012-2015. Both underline the need for better enforcement of animal welfare rules; both prefer a broader, more holistic approach to the challenges in this sector than had been adopted before.
Without proper and uniform enforcement of any regulation, market distortions are produced, the credibility of institutions is eroded and the objectives of that regulation are not achieved. In order to avoid such undesirable consequences, a number of actions are proposed in the animal welfare strategy to ensure that operators and enforcers have the necessary professional skills, that available technologies are fully deployed and that the necessary legal tools are available to ensure uniform implementation of animal welfare rules and standards across the Union. Improvements in this area are a logical first step.
The recently-adopted animal welfare strategy proposes the establishment of a network of reference centres that can engage state-of-the art knowledge of animal welfare and establish evidenced-based welfare indicators for the various animal species articulated by qualities of the animal itself (sex, size, age, breed etc), the climatic conditions to which it is exposed and the farming practice in which it is kept. Such tools for measuring and avoiding stress in animals will be of practical use to all stakeholders whether operators or enforcers. Ultimately, it will be to the benefit of the health and welfare of animals.
It is hoped that such developments will permit a much more appropriate measure of animal welfare than any one-size-fits-all prescription. It is against this background that I have to assess the calls for legislation limiting the long-distance animal transport to an eight-hour maximum.
Much as I would prefer animals to travel to slaughter over the shortest possible distances and in the shortest possible time, there is no scientific justification for such an across-the-board prescription. Some animals may be able to travel much longer, some may not. As such, an eight-hour maximum limit would not enjoy the support of member states that have endorsed the Commission policy proposed in the animal welfare strategy which focuses more directly on welfare outcomes.
Animals are suffering and the thought of it engenders a strong sense of urgency. It is paramount that actions are taken in order to deliver significant improvements in welfare of all animals across the EU. I believe that to deliver improvements for the long term we should focus our efforts on proper enforcement and implementation.
The animal welfare strategy 2012-2015 marks a watershed in the approach to animal welfare issues and provides us with a unique opportunity to build a long-term strategy where our success or failure is judged on how our measures make a difference to the real welfare situation of animals.
John Dalli is European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy