Tighten welfare rules, urge ministers

22 May 2001



Tighten welfare rules, urge ministers

By Philip Clarke, Europe editor

ANIMAL welfare rules must be tightened if farmers are to meet the expectations of consumers and taxpayers, claim European agriculture ministers.

Discussing the ethics of livestock production in an open debate in Brussels on Tuesday (22 May), ministers agreed current legislation did not go far enough.

“People are asking what they are getting in return for their taxes”, said German minister Renate Künast. “They do not want to see tortuous production methods”.

Animal welfare should be considered in all aspects of the Common Agricultural Policy she said. Economics should not take precedence.

Austrian minister Wilhelm Molterer said animals should be killed at the nearest abattoir, rather than hauled across Europe to slaughterhouses.

This would boost quality as well as welfare, he said.

Mr Molterers theory was supported by Danish minister Ritt Bjerregaard, who pressed for a maximum eight-hour journey time.

“We only increase the risk of spreading infection and losing traceability when we transport animals such distances.”

But some ministers had reservations. “We must not forget the science” said Spains Arias Canota. “Rules based solely on ethical values may be hard to manage .

Portugals Capouls Santos said ethical values differed between countries.

Most farm ministers also referred to the dangers of undermining the competitiveness of European Union farmers by raising their costs.

But animal welfare organisations demonstrating in Brussels outside the council meeting said this was not inevitable.

“EU farmers should still be able to compete in global markets and improve animal welfare” said David Wilkins of the European Group for Animal Welfare.

It was possible within the World Trade Organisation to reward farmers financially for welfare improvements, he claimed.

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