PURPOSE: to establish an action plan against the\nrising threats from Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
\nBACKGROUND: since the introduction of penicillin in\nthe 1940s antimicrobial medicines, such as antibiotics, have become\nessential for the treatment of many microbial infections in humans\nand animals. In addition to the treatment of infectious diseases\n(e.g. pneumonia, tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS) and\nhospital-acquired infections (e.g. methicilin resistant\nStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA), antimicrobials are vital for\nreducing the risk of complications in relation to complex medical\ninterventions, such as hip replacements, organ transplants, cancer\nchemotherapy and the care of premature babies. In addition,\nantimicrobials are used in veterinary medicine and for\nnon-therapeutic purposes (e.g. disinfectants, preservatives, and\nfood and feed additives).
\nSeventy years later, these applications are now\nseriously jeopardized by the emergence and spread of\nmicrobes that are resistant to affordable and effective\nfirstchoice, or \"first-line\" medicines, rendering the drugs\nconcerned ineffective for the treatment of the infection. This\nresistance is a natural biological phenomenon but is amplified by a\nvariety of factors. The inappropriate use of therapeutic\nantimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine, the use of\nantimicrobials for non-therapeutic purposes as well as the\npollution of the environment by antimicrobials is accelerating the\nemergence and spread of resistant microorganisms. The consequences\nare severe.
\nThe Commission recall that a subset of drug-resistant\nbacteria is responsible for about 25 000 human deaths annually. In\naddition to avoidable death, this also translates into extra\nhealthcare costs and productivity losses of at least EUR 1.5\nbillion.
\nFor their part, the Council and the European\nParliament have already examined this issue and on\n12May 2011 the European Parliament adopted a non-legislative resolution on\nantibiotic resistance in which it stresses that AMR has become a\nhuge issue in recent years. To cope with this growing problem and\nthe consequent treatment failures, the EP calls on the Commission\nto establish an EU-wide plan to combat AMR.
\nThis Communication responds to this\nrequest.
\nCONTENT: in this regard, the Commission has taken a\nnumber of important actions:
\nBased on such\nholistic approach, the new actions put forward in this Action Plan\naim at:
\nThe Commission proposes to put in place a 5-year\nAction Plan to fight against AMR based on 12 key\nactions:
\nSeveral Member States have been pro-active in carrying\nout actions related to those considered at EU level. These actions\nat national level and the experience gained from it should be the\nbasis of the practical development and implementation of this\nAction Plan.
\nThe Council adopted\nconclusions on the impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in\nthe human health sector and in the veterinary sector, calling\nupon member states to develop and implement national strategies or\naction plans for countering AMR.
\nThese national\nstrategies or action plans should, amongst others, include the\nfollowing elements:
\nThe conclusions\nalso call upon the member states and the Commission to examine the\nconditions of prescription and sale of antimicrobials in order to\nascertain whether practices in human and animals healthcare may\nlead to over-prescription, overuse or misuse of antimicrobials.
\nThe Commission is\ninvited to expedite the review of legislative acts in order to take\nantimicrobial resistance better into account. This applies notably\nto directive 90/167 laying down the conditions governing the\npreparation, placing on the market and use of medicated\nfeedingstuffs in the EU and directive 2001/82 on the EU code\nrelating to veterinary medicinal products.
\nThe Commission\ninformed that preparatory work for some of the actions to which it\nis invited has already been started.
\nAccording to the\nWorld Health Organisation (WHO) about 440 000 new cases of\nmultidrugresistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) emerge annually, causing\nat least 150 000 deaths. A high percentage of hospital-acquired\ninfections are caused by highly resistant bacteria such as\nmethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
\nThe Committee on the Environment, Public Health and\nFood Safety unanimously adopted the initiative report by Anna\nROSBACH (ECR, DK) on “the Microbial Challenge – Rising\nthreats from Antimicrobial Resistance”.
\nMembers recall that resistance to antibiotics for\ncertain bacteria is as high as 25 % or more in several Member\nStates and that much of the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) problem\nstems from the misuse – in particular excessive use\n– of antibiotics. They also highlight the fact that many\nMember States do not have a solid legal and regulatory framework to\nmandate and support the rational use of medicines. As a result,\nMembers call for the complete and rapid implementation of measures\nin this area.
\nAlthough they welcome the Commission’s\nfive-year planstrategic Action\nPlan on tackling AMR and view it as\ngenerally going in the right direction, Members note that many of\nthe action points reiterate measures prescribed over a decade ago,\nit is not sufficient for tackling the growing risk presented by\nAMR at international level.
\nIn this context, Members call for an integrated roadmap outlining relevant policy\nresponses, including possible legislative action.
\nMembers call in particular for the Action Plan\nto:
\nPrudent use of antimicrobials in human and veterinary\nmedicine: Members call for the\nprudent use of antimicrobials. The key objective of any AMR\nstrategy is to maintain the efficiency of existing antimicrobials\nby using them responsibly at the correct therapeutic level only\nwhen strictly necessary and prescribed over a specific time at the\nappropriate dosage (and not for treating viral infections).\nSimilar prudence needs to be exercised in veterinary medicine.\nMembers call on the Member States to use electronic recording\nsystems to ensure that usage patterns on individual farms are\nappropriate, thus ensuring responsible and minimal use. They also\nsuggest to the Commission that current provisions on maximum animal\ndensity in livestock farming be re-evaluated as herd sizes today\noften present obstacles to the treatment of individual or smaller\ngroups of animals, providing incentives for the prophylactic use of\nantimicrobials. They also call for a legislative proposal to be\npresented for the veterinary sector to limit its use of third- and\nfourth-generation Critically Important Antimicrobials (CIAs) for\nhumans.
\nThe Commission and the Member States are also invited\nto encourage efforts to study hospital outbreaks, to improve\ndiagnostics but also to assess and monitor the Member States'\nimplementation of relevant EU legislation on antimicrobials, in\nparticular with regard to the prescription-only use of antibiotics\nin the human health and veterinary sectors.
\nPrevention: Members call\nfor more effective measures to be introduced to prevent both the\nappearance and the spread of antimicrobial resistance. These\nmeasures include better monitoring and better notification\nof micro-organisms resistant to antimicrobials, as well as a more\neffective combating of infections, in particular by means of\nvaccinations. Among other measures they call for limits on\nuncontrolled access to antimicrobial agents, in particular via the\ngrowing number of illegal sales on the internet, and their\ninappropriate use. They call on the Member States to improve\ninfection control, and to raise and promote good standards of\nhygiene – especially hand hygiene, – in order to prevent\nthe spread of infections and reduce the need for\nantibiotics.
\nDevelopment of new antimicrobials or alternatives for\ntreatment: Members consider it vital\nto limit the emergence of bacteria that are resistant to\nantimicrobials. In this context, it is necessary to develop new\nantimicrobial agents. In parallel, Members stress the advantages of\npublic-private partnerships because these can contribute to\nreaching this objective by dissociating sales transactions from\ninvestment in research and development. In this area,\nMembers call on the Commission and the Member States to accelerate\nR&D activities in order to provide new tools to fight\ntuberculosis and drug-resistant tuberculosis.
\nMembers also underline the need to examine new\nregulatory approaches that would result in stimulating\nindustrial research and the development of new antimicrobials while\nsafeguarding patient safety. They also call on the Commission\nto ensure the development and\navailability of more on-farm tools for early, rapid diagnosis and\ncontrol of diseases, as well as for a broad and effective\ndiagnostic system at Member State level.
\nMonitoring and reporting: in this field, Members call on the Commission and the\nMember States to seek greater cooperation\nand coordination on early detection, alert and coordinated response\nprocedures regarding pathogenic antimicrobial resistant bacteria in\nhumans, animals, fish and foodstuffs. They call on Member\nStates to compile clear, comparable, transparent and timely\nreference data on antimicrobial drug usage so that effective\naction can be undertaken. They consider, however, that data\ngathered on the use of antibiotics should be made accessible only\nto the experts, authorities and decision-makers concerned. They call on the Member States to ensure separate\nmonitoring and control of resistance among livestock, domestic\nanimals and racing animals.
\nCommunication, education and training:\nMembers note that\none of the most common uses for antibiotics is as treatment\nagainst the common cold, and that much would be gained if the\npublic could be made aware of the fact that the common cold is a\nviral infection whereas antibiotics only provide protection against\nbacterial infections. They call on the Commission to compile a best\npractice list with regard to the implementation of effective\ncommunication campaigns and professional training courses aimed at\nraising AMR awareness. They believe that effective\ninformation and awareness campaigns must be developed with a view\nto heightening awareness of the dangers of the unintentional spread\nof antimicrobial pathogens in hospitals and in the home, and\nawareness of the means of avoiding this. Campaigns along the lines\nof \"Please take this antibiotic medicine only if it is prescribed\nby a doctor to you and take it as prescribed” should be\npromoted and included in the package leaflet.
\nInternational\ncooperation: lastly, Members believe that concerted and timely\ninternational action that avoids overlap and builds critical mass\nis the only way forward in minimising the threat to public health\nthat AMR poses globally.They consider that the work undertaken by\nthe Transatlantic Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TATFAR)\nshould be used as a model for international cooperation on\nantimicrobial resistance. Other similar\nmultilateral and bilateral commitments for the prevention and\ncontrol of AMR should also be encouraged, in accordance with the\nguidelines laid down by the WHO (in particular in regard to the\ncontrol of counterfeit antimicrobials).
\nPURPOSE: to establish an action plan against the\nrising threats from Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
\nBACKGROUND: since the introduction of penicillin in\nthe 1940s antimicrobial medicines, such as antibiotics, have become\nessential for the treatment of many microbial infections in humans\nand animals. In addition to the treatment of infectious diseases\n(e.g. pneumonia, tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS) and\nhospital-acquired infections (e.g. methicilin resistant\nStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA), antimicrobials are vital for\nreducing the risk of complications in relation to complex medical\ninterventions, such as hip replacements, organ transplants, cancer\nchemotherapy and the care of premature babies. In addition,\nantimicrobials are used in veterinary medicine and for\nnon-therapeutic purposes (e.g. disinfectants, preservatives, and\nfood and feed additives).
\nSeventy years later, these applications are now\nseriously jeopardized by the emergence and spread of\nmicrobes that are resistant to affordable and effective\nfirstchoice, or \"first-line\" medicines, rendering the drugs\nconcerned ineffective for the treatment of the infection. This\nresistance is a natural biological phenomenon but is amplified by a\nvariety of factors. The inappropriate use of therapeutic\nantimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine, the use of\nantimicrobials for non-therapeutic purposes as well as the\npollution of the environment by antimicrobials is accelerating the\nemergence and spread of resistant microorganisms. The consequences\nare severe.
\nThe Commission recall that a subset of drug-resistant\nbacteria is responsible for about 25 000 human deaths annually. In\naddition to avoidable death, this also translates into extra\nhealthcare costs and productivity losses of at least EUR 1.5\nbillion.
\nFor their part, the Council and the European\nParliament have already examined this issue and on\n12May 2011 the European Parliament adopted a non-legislative resolution on\nantibiotic resistance in which it stresses that AMR has become a\nhuge issue in recent years. To cope with this growing problem and\nthe consequent treatment failures, the EP calls on the Commission\nto establish an EU-wide plan to combat AMR.
\nThis Communication responds to this\nrequest.
\nCONTENT: in this regard, the Commission has taken a\nnumber of important actions:
\nBased on such\nholistic approach, the new actions put forward in this Action Plan\naim at:
\nThe Commission proposes to put in place a 5-year\nAction Plan to fight against AMR based on 12 key\nactions:
\nSeveral Member States have been pro-active in carrying\nout actions related to those considered at EU level. These actions\nat national level and the experience gained from it should be the\nbasis of the practical development and implementation of this\nAction Plan.
\nThe Committee on the Environment, Public Health and\nFood Safety unanimously adopted the initiative report by Anna\nROSBACH (ECR, DK) on “the Microbial Challenge – Rising\nthreats from Antimicrobial Resistance”.
\nMembers recall that resistance to antibiotics for\ncertain bacteria is as high as 25 % or more in several Member\nStates and that much of the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) problem\nstems from the misuse – in particular excessive use\n– of antibiotics. They also highlight the fact that many\nMember States do not have a solid legal and regulatory framework to\nmandate and support the rational use of medicines. As a result,\nMembers call for the complete and rapid implementation of measures\nin this area.
\nAlthough they welcome the Commission’s\nfive-year planstrategic Action\nPlan on tackling AMR and view it as\ngenerally going in the right direction, Members note that many of\nthe action points reiterate measures prescribed over a decade ago,\nit is not sufficient for tackling the growing risk presented by\nAMR at international level.
\nIn this context, Members call for an integrated roadmap outlining relevant policy\nresponses, including possible legislative action.
\nMembers call in particular for the Action Plan\nto:
\nPrudent use of antimicrobials in human and veterinary\nmedicine: Members call for the\nprudent use of antimicrobials. The key objective of any AMR\nstrategy is to maintain the efficiency of existing antimicrobials\nby using them responsibly at the correct therapeutic level only\nwhen strictly necessary and prescribed over a specific time at the\nappropriate dosage (and not for treating viral infections).\nSimilar prudence needs to be exercised in veterinary medicine.\nMembers call on the Member States to use electronic recording\nsystems to ensure that usage patterns on individual farms are\nappropriate, thus ensuring responsible and minimal use. They also\nsuggest to the Commission that current provisions on maximum animal\ndensity in livestock farming be re-evaluated as herd sizes today\noften present obstacles to the treatment of individual or smaller\ngroups of animals, providing incentives for the prophylactic use of\nantimicrobials. They also call for a legislative proposal to be\npresented for the veterinary sector to limit its use of third- and\nfourth-generation Critically Important Antimicrobials (CIAs) for\nhumans.
\nThe Commission and the Member States are also invited\nto encourage efforts to study hospital outbreaks, to improve\ndiagnostics but also to assess and monitor the Member States'\nimplementation of relevant EU legislation on antimicrobials, in\nparticular with regard to the prescription-only use of antibiotics\nin the human health and veterinary sectors.
\nPrevention: Members call\nfor more effective measures to be introduced to prevent both the\nappearance and the spread of antimicrobial resistance. These\nmeasures include better monitoring and better notification\nof micro-organisms resistant to antimicrobials, as well as a more\neffective combating of infections, in particular by means of\nvaccinations. Among other measures they call for limits on\nuncontrolled access to antimicrobial agents, in particular via the\ngrowing number of illegal sales on the internet, and their\ninappropriate use. They call on the Member States to improve\ninfection control, and to raise and promote good standards of\nhygiene – especially hand hygiene, – in order to prevent\nthe spread of infections and reduce the need for\nantibiotics.
\nDevelopment of new antimicrobials or alternatives for\ntreatment: Members consider it vital\nto limit the emergence of bacteria that are resistant to\nantimicrobials. In this context, it is necessary to develop new\nantimicrobial agents. In parallel, Members stress the advantages of\npublic-private partnerships because these can contribute to\nreaching this objective by dissociating sales transactions from\ninvestment in research and development. In this area,\nMembers call on the Commission and the Member States to accelerate\nR&D activities in order to provide new tools to fight\ntuberculosis and drug-resistant tuberculosis.
\nMembers also underline the need to examine new\nregulatory approaches that would result in stimulating\nindustrial research and the development of new antimicrobials while\nsafeguarding patient safety. They also call on the Commission\nto ensure the development and\navailability of more on-farm tools for early, rapid diagnosis and\ncontrol of diseases, as well as for a broad and effective\ndiagnostic system at Member State level.
\nMonitoring and reporting: in this field, Members call on the Commission and the\nMember States to seek greater cooperation\nand coordination on early detection, alert and coordinated response\nprocedures regarding pathogenic antimicrobial resistant bacteria in\nhumans, animals, fish and foodstuffs. They call on Member\nStates to compile clear, comparable, transparent and timely\nreference data on antimicrobial drug usage so that effective\naction can be undertaken. They consider, however, that data\ngathered on the use of antibiotics should be made accessible only\nto the experts, authorities and decision-makers concerned. They call on the Member States to ensure separate\nmonitoring and control of resistance among livestock, domestic\nanimals and racing animals.
\nCommunication, education and training:\nMembers note that\none of the most common uses for antibiotics is as treatment\nagainst the common cold, and that much would be gained if the\npublic could be made aware of the fact that the common cold is a\nviral infection whereas antibiotics only provide protection against\nbacterial infections. They call on the Commission to compile a best\npractice list with regard to the implementation of effective\ncommunication campaigns and professional training courses aimed at\nraising AMR awareness. They believe that effective\ninformation and awareness campaigns must be developed with a view\nto heightening awareness of the dangers of the unintentional spread\nof antimicrobial pathogens in hospitals and in the home, and\nawareness of the means of avoiding this. Campaigns along the lines\nof \"Please take this antibiotic medicine only if it is prescribed\nby a doctor to you and take it as prescribed” should be\npromoted and included in the package leaflet.
\nInternational\ncooperation: lastly, Members believe that concerted and timely\ninternational action that avoids overlap and builds critical mass\nis the only way forward in minimising the threat to public health\nthat AMR poses globally.They consider that the work undertaken by\nthe Transatlantic Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TATFAR)\nshould be used as a model for international cooperation on\nantimicrobial resistance. Other similar\nmultilateral and bilateral commitments for the prevention and\ncontrol of AMR should also be encouraged, in accordance with the\nguidelines laid down by the WHO (in particular in regard to the\ncontrol of counterfeit antimicrobials).
\nThe Council adopted\nconclusions on the impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in\nthe human health sector and in the veterinary sector, calling\nupon member states to develop and implement national strategies or\naction plans for countering AMR.
\nThese national\nstrategies or action plans should, amongst others, include the\nfollowing elements:
\nThe conclusions\nalso call upon the member states and the Commission to examine the\nconditions of prescription and sale of antimicrobials in order to\nascertain whether practices in human and animals healthcare may\nlead to over-prescription, overuse or misuse of antimicrobials.
\nThe Commission is\ninvited to expedite the review of legislative acts in order to take\nantimicrobial resistance better into account. This applies notably\nto directive 90/167 laying down the conditions governing the\npreparation, placing on the market and use of medicated\nfeedingstuffs in the EU and directive 2001/82 on the EU code\nrelating to veterinary medicinal products.
\nThe Commission\ninformed that preparatory work for some of the actions to which it\nis invited has already been started.
\nAccording to the\nWorld Health Organisation (WHO) about 440 000 new cases of\nmultidrugresistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) emerge annually, causing\nat least 150 000 deaths. A high percentage of hospital-acquired\ninfections are caused by highly resistant bacteria such as\nmethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nThe Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development has\nadopted an own-initiative report by Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI (ECR, PL)\non the protection of animals during transport.
\nThe competent committee takes note of the Commission\nreport presenting the state of implementation of Council Regulation\n(EC) No 1/2005, which contains the conclusion that the Regulation\nhas had a positive impact on the welfare of animals during\ntransport, but notes that severe problems during animal\ntransport persist, due mainly to poor compliance and\nimplementation in the Member States.
\nThe report calls on the Commission:
\n\n· \nto ensure an effective and uniform\nenforcement of existing EU legislation on animal transport\nacross all Member States and to adopt measures to secure full and\nuniform monitoring of adherence to the transport\nconditions;
\n\n· \nto present a full evaluation of all the\neconomic, environmental and social costs and benefits incurred\nby the transport of animals, including a comparison between the\ntransport of animals for slaughter and the transport of carcasses\nand food products, as well as the effect of transport on the price\nof meat products, paying particular attention to the outermost\nregions and involving all stakeholders;
\n\n· \nto implement an extensive consumer\ninformation campaign on the subject of the European regulations\non animal welfare, providing continuous information on the changes\nbeing required of European producers for the purposes of raising\nthe profile of their work and improving the added value of their\nproduction;
\n\n· \nproposes a considerably shortened maximum\njourney limit for all movements of horses for slaughter, and\ninsists furthermore on a thorough, science-based review of welfare\nstandards for horses, if necessary accompanied by legislative\nproposals, including a reconsideration of vehicle design standards,\nspace allowances and water provision;
\n\n· \ndemands, in its bilateral trade negotiations\nwith third countries, implementation of the EU’s animal\nwelfare rules and to defend the internationalisation, within\nthe framework of the World Trade Organisation, of the Community\nprovisions on the subject;
\n\n· \nmake legislative proposals before 1 January\n2014, aimed at creating an EU-wide common framework for data\ncollection and control through satellite navigation, based on\nthe uploading of data in real time;
\n\n· \nto undertake research into how new and existing\ntechnology can be applied in livestock vehicles to regulate,\nmonitor and register temperature and humidity, which are\nessential elements for controlling and protecting the welfare of\nspecific categories of animals during transport;
\n\n· \nto increase the number of unannounced\nFood and Veterinary\nOffice (FVO) spot inspections focused on animal\nwelfare and the transport of animals;
\n\n· \nto ensure that veterinary controls on\nanimals to be transported take place at the end of their\ntransport.
\nThe report insists on a reconsideration of the\nissue of limiting the transport time of animals destined for\nslaughter to eight hours taking account of loading time,\nirrespective of whether this takes place on land or at sea, with\nsome exceptions taking into account geographic conditions in the\noutermost regions, provided that it is confirmed by scientific\nresearch results and that the rules on animal welfare are complied\nwith.
\nThe Member States, for their part, are called\non:
\n· \nto strengthen controls across the entire production\nchain in order to halt practices that infringe the Regulation\nand worsen the conditions for the transport of animals, such as\nallowing overstocked vehicles to continue their journeys, or\npermitting control posts with inadequate facilities for resting,\nfeeding and watering the animals to continue in use;
\n· to introduce effective, proportionate and dissuasive\nsanctions for infringements of the Regulation, pursuant to\nArticle 25 thereof.
\nDrawing attention to the differing levels of penalties\nand sanctions for the same infringement in different Member States,\nthe Members call for a greater harmonisation of sanctions\nacross the EU to ensure better enforcement of the Regulation. The\nCommission is requested to present, before 1 July 2013, a report\nanalysing the penalties for serious infringements relating to\nanimal welfare in road transport in all Member States, comparable\nto its report on penalties in the area of social rules in road\ntransport.
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nThe Commission presents a report on the impact of\nCouncil Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals\nduring transport. The report describes the impact of the Regulation\non animal welfare and intra-Union trade, its socio-economic and\nregional implications as well as the implementation of the\nnavigation systems. It also contains information in relation to\nenforcement of the EU legislation.
\nMain conclusions
\nAnimal welfare: the\nRegulation has had beneficial impacts on the welfare of animals\nduring transport. Available data indicate that since 2005 the\noverall quality of animal transport on long journeys has improved,\nnotably due to improved vehicles and better handling of the\nanimals. The latter appears to be the result of the proper\nimplementation of the stricter training obligations for personnel\nhandling animals, which was introduced by the\nRegulation.
\nThe percentage of transported animals with lameness,\ninjuries, dehydration and exhaustion decreased, or remained\nunchanged, between 200629 and 2009. Concerning the animals reported\n\"dead on arrival\", the numbers decreased significantly from 2005 to\n2009. The difference was greater for long transport than for\nshorter transport. There has also been a significant decrease in\nthe number of animals \"observed unfit for travel upon arrival at\ndestination\".
\nEven though animal welfare in general has improved\nafter the introduction of the Regulation, the available information\nshows that severe animal welfare problems during transport persist.\nMost of these problems appear to be related to poor compliance\nof some requirements of the Regulation. Available information\nshows there are some recurring examples of poor compliance such\nas transport of unfit animals, overstocking of vehicles,\ntransport of animals in vehicles in which the internal height of\nthe compartments is inappropriate, and animals being transported\nlonger than the maximum allowed travelling time. Often, poor\ncompliance appears to be related to improper\nenforcement.
\nThe Commission does not believe that an amendment\nwould be the most appropriate approach to address problems. A\nsteady legal situation will allow Member States and stakeholders to\nfocus on enforcement within a stable legal framework.
\nNavigation systems: the\nRegulation introduced the requirement for vehicles approved for\nlong journeys to be equipped with navigation systems. However, it\nappears that the full potential of the systems to decrease the\nadministrative burden for industry and to improve official controls\nis not being utilised. Despite the fact that the Regulation has\nbeen applied for more than four years, there are still important\ndifferences between Member States as regards the implementation of\nthe requirements related to navigation systems. Most Member States\ndo not yet have a comprehensive approach on how to check whether\nthe systems installed comply with the Regulation, and few\ncontrolling authorities use the data collected via the navigation\nsystem to carry out checks in accordance with the Regulation. In\nmany cases the data is only considered after the competent\nauthority has detected an infringement during a physical control\nbefore or during transport or at the place of destination. It is\ntherefore concluded that the navigation systems are not used in a\nwide perspective to improve controls.
\nVolume of trade:\naccording to the available data, the Regulation has not had any\nimpact on the volume of the intra-Union trade in live\nanimals.
\nCosts: the Regulation\nappears not to have provoked any impact on the animal production in\nremote regions. The introduction of the Regulation has lead to an\nincrease of transport costs but, probably due to competition in the\ntransport sector, this increase has not been evenly distributed\nalong the food chain and transport operators are mainly bearing the\nextra costs.
\nScientific knowledge: in\nthe EFSA opinion adopted on 2 December 2010 scientists recognise\nthat parts of the Regulation are not in line with current\nscientific knowledge, and point out specific areas where future\nresearch is recommended. In particular, scientists recommend that\ntransport time for horses for slaughter should be shorter than that\nprovided in the Regulation. The Commission feels that, for the time\nbeing, this is best addressed by the adoption of guides to good\npractices.
\nEnforcement:\nenforcement of the Regulation remains a major challenge,\npartly because of differences in interpretation of the requirements\nand because of lack of controls by the Member States. Furthermore,\nthe quality of monitoring data, submitted to the Commission by\nMember States, is often insufficient to provide a clear analysis of\nthe situation and to allow planning of specific corrective measures\nat EU level.
\nLive fish: the\nCommission will launch a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport, with a view to determining the appropriateness of a\nrevision of the provisions of the Regulation to improve the clarity\nof the legal framework on the transport of live fish for\naquaculture operators, in accordance with the Commission\nAquaculture Strategy.
\nTo correct the problems identified, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. The\nCommission will consider the following actions for the near\nfuture:
\n\n· \nadopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems as provided by the Regulation, and establish a\nsimplified version of the journey log. Furthermore, in close\nco-operation with the European GNSS Supervisory Authority, it\nshould be ensured that drivers are informed on how to profit from\nthe device. The objective is to improve harmonisation of the\nimplementation of the Regulation, and improve animal welfare\nthrough controlling the journey times, space allowance etc. of\nanimal transports. This action should also contribute to a reduced\nadministrative burden for the transporters, but may increase the\nadministrative burden for Member State authorities. However, this\nshould result in better enforcement of animal transport\nlegislation;
\n\n· \nadopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the Member\nStates, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At the\nsame time, the structure of the reporting system should be further\nharmonized. The objective is to increase in the number of\ninspections, which should lead to improved enforcement. The\ninformation received from Member State's reports would provide\nbetter and more comparable data when based on the same\nstructure;
\n\n· \nincreased co-operation and communication with\nthe competent authorities of Member States and stakeholders,\nincluding non-governmental animal welfare organisations. The\nobjective is to collect and analyse information on difficulties and\nshare experiences on possible solutions related to the\nimplementation of the Regulation;
\n\n· \ndissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and supporting the development of\nguides to good practice. These could focus on different aspects of\nday-to- day management that may be problematic and would encourage\nbest practice that considers the latest scientific knowledge. The\naim is to resolve ambiguities and inefficiencies in the current\nanimal welfare legislation and improve harmonisation of the\nimplementation of the rules. At the same time it would encourage\nindustry and other relevant parties to exceed the minimum welfare\nstandards for transporting animals.
\nThe Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this Report
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nThe Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development has\nadopted an own-initiative report by Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI (ECR, PL)\non the protection of animals during transport.
\nThe competent committee takes note of the Commission\nreport presenting the state of implementation of Council Regulation\n(EC) No 1/2005, which contains the conclusion that the Regulation\nhas had a positive impact on the welfare of animals during\ntransport, but notes that severe problems during animal\ntransport persist, due mainly to poor compliance and\nimplementation in the Member States.
\nThe report calls on the Commission:
\n\n· \nto ensure an effective and uniform\nenforcement of existing EU legislation on animal transport\nacross all Member States and to adopt measures to secure full and\nuniform monitoring of adherence to the transport\nconditions;
\n\n· \nto present a full evaluation of all the\neconomic, environmental and social costs and benefits incurred\nby the transport of animals, including a comparison between the\ntransport of animals for slaughter and the transport of carcasses\nand food products, as well as the effect of transport on the price\nof meat products, paying particular attention to the outermost\nregions and involving all stakeholders;
\n\n· \nto implement an extensive consumer\ninformation campaign on the subject of the European regulations\non animal welfare, providing continuous information on the changes\nbeing required of European producers for the purposes of raising\nthe profile of their work and improving the added value of their\nproduction;
\n\n· \nproposes a considerably shortened maximum\njourney limit for all movements of horses for slaughter, and\ninsists furthermore on a thorough, science-based review of welfare\nstandards for horses, if necessary accompanied by legislative\nproposals, including a reconsideration of vehicle design standards,\nspace allowances and water provision;
\n\n· \ndemands, in its bilateral trade negotiations\nwith third countries, implementation of the EU’s animal\nwelfare rules and to defend the internationalisation, within\nthe framework of the World Trade Organisation, of the Community\nprovisions on the subject;
\n\n· \nmake legislative proposals before 1 January\n2014, aimed at creating an EU-wide common framework for data\ncollection and control through satellite navigation, based on\nthe uploading of data in real time;
\n\n· \nto undertake research into how new and existing\ntechnology can be applied in livestock vehicles to regulate,\nmonitor and register temperature and humidity, which are\nessential elements for controlling and protecting the welfare of\nspecific categories of animals during transport;
\n\n· \nto increase the number of unannounced\nFood and Veterinary\nOffice (FVO) spot inspections focused on animal\nwelfare and the transport of animals;
\n\n· \nto ensure that veterinary controls on\nanimals to be transported take place at the end of their\ntransport.
\nThe report insists on a reconsideration of the\nissue of limiting the transport time of animals destined for\nslaughter to eight hours taking account of loading time,\nirrespective of whether this takes place on land or at sea, with\nsome exceptions taking into account geographic conditions in the\noutermost regions, provided that it is confirmed by scientific\nresearch results and that the rules on animal welfare are complied\nwith.
\nThe Member States, for their part, are called\non:
\n· \nto strengthen controls across the entire production\nchain in order to halt practices that infringe the Regulation\nand worsen the conditions for the transport of animals, such as\nallowing overstocked vehicles to continue their journeys, or\npermitting control posts with inadequate facilities for resting,\nfeeding and watering the animals to continue in use;
\n· to introduce effective, proportionate and dissuasive\nsanctions for infringements of the Regulation, pursuant to\nArticle 25 thereof.
\nDrawing attention to the differing levels of penalties\nand sanctions for the same infringement in different Member States,\nthe Members call for a greater harmonisation of sanctions\nacross the EU to ensure better enforcement of the Regulation. The\nCommission is requested to present, before 1 July 2013, a report\nanalysing the penalties for serious infringements relating to\nanimal welfare in road transport in all Member States, comparable\nto its report on penalties in the area of social rules in road\ntransport.
\nThe Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development has\nadopted an own-initiative report by Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI (ECR, PL)\non the protection of animals during transport.
\nThe competent committee takes note of the Commission\nreport presenting the state of implementation of Council Regulation\n(EC) No 1/2005, which contains the conclusion that the Regulation\nhas had a positive impact on the welfare of animals during\ntransport, but notes that severe problems during animal\ntransport persist, due mainly to poor compliance and\nimplementation in the Member States.
\nThe report calls on the Commission:
\n\n· \nto ensure an effective and uniform\nenforcement of existing EU legislation on animal transport\nacross all Member States and to adopt measures to secure full and\nuniform monitoring of adherence to the transport\nconditions;
\n\n· \nto present a full evaluation of all the\neconomic, environmental and social costs and benefits incurred\nby the transport of animals, including a comparison between the\ntransport of animals for slaughter and the transport of carcasses\nand food products, as well as the effect of transport on the price\nof meat products, paying particular attention to the outermost\nregions and involving all stakeholders;
\n\n· \nto implement an extensive consumer\ninformation campaign on the subject of the European regulations\non animal welfare, providing continuous information on the changes\nbeing required of European producers for the purposes of raising\nthe profile of their work and improving the added value of their\nproduction;
\n\n· \nproposes a considerably shortened maximum\njourney limit for all movements of horses for slaughter, and\ninsists furthermore on a thorough, science-based review of welfare\nstandards for horses, if necessary accompanied by legislative\nproposals, including a reconsideration of vehicle design standards,\nspace allowances and water provision;
\n\n· \ndemands, in its bilateral trade negotiations\nwith third countries, implementation of the EU’s animal\nwelfare rules and to defend the internationalisation, within\nthe framework of the World Trade Organisation, of the Community\nprovisions on the subject;
\n\n· \nmake legislative proposals before 1 January\n2014, aimed at creating an EU-wide common framework for data\ncollection and control through satellite navigation, based on\nthe uploading of data in real time;
\n\n· \nto undertake research into how new and existing\ntechnology can be applied in livestock vehicles to regulate,\nmonitor and register temperature and humidity, which are\nessential elements for controlling and protecting the welfare of\nspecific categories of animals during transport;
\n\n· \nto increase the number of unannounced\nFood and Veterinary\nOffice (FVO) spot inspections focused on animal\nwelfare and the transport of animals;
\n\n· \nto ensure that veterinary controls on\nanimals to be transported take place at the end of their\ntransport.
\nThe report insists on a reconsideration of the\nissue of limiting the transport time of animals destined for\nslaughter to eight hours taking account of loading time,\nirrespective of whether this takes place on land or at sea, with\nsome exceptions taking into account geographic conditions in the\noutermost regions, provided that it is confirmed by scientific\nresearch results and that the rules on animal welfare are complied\nwith.
\nThe Member States, for their part, are called\non:
\n· \nto strengthen controls across the entire production\nchain in order to halt practices that infringe the Regulation\nand worsen the conditions for the transport of animals, such as\nallowing overstocked vehicles to continue their journeys, or\npermitting control posts with inadequate facilities for resting,\nfeeding and watering the animals to continue in use;
\n· to introduce effective, proportionate and dissuasive\nsanctions for infringements of the Regulation, pursuant to\nArticle 25 thereof.
\nDrawing attention to the differing levels of penalties\nand sanctions for the same infringement in different Member States,\nthe Members call for a greater harmonisation of sanctions\nacross the EU to ensure better enforcement of the Regulation. The\nCommission is requested to present, before 1 July 2013, a report\nanalysing the penalties for serious infringements relating to\nanimal welfare in road transport in all Member States, comparable\nto its report on penalties in the area of social rules in road\ntransport.
\nThe Commission presents a report on the impact of\nCouncil Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals\nduring transport. The report describes the impact of the Regulation\non animal welfare and intra-Union trade, its socio-economic and\nregional implications as well as the implementation of the\nnavigation systems. It also contains information in relation to\nenforcement of the EU legislation.
\nMain conclusions
\nAnimal welfare: the\nRegulation has had beneficial impacts on the welfare of animals\nduring transport. Available data indicate that since 2005 the\noverall quality of animal transport on long journeys has improved,\nnotably due to improved vehicles and better handling of the\nanimals. The latter appears to be the result of the proper\nimplementation of the stricter training obligations for personnel\nhandling animals, which was introduced by the\nRegulation.
\nThe percentage of transported animals with lameness,\ninjuries, dehydration and exhaustion decreased, or remained\nunchanged, between 200629 and 2009. Concerning the animals reported\n\"dead on arrival\", the numbers decreased significantly from 2005 to\n2009. The difference was greater for long transport than for\nshorter transport. There has also been a significant decrease in\nthe number of animals \"observed unfit for travel upon arrival at\ndestination\".
\nEven though animal welfare in general has improved\nafter the introduction of the Regulation, the available information\nshows that severe animal welfare problems during transport persist.\nMost of these problems appear to be related to poor compliance\nof some requirements of the Regulation. Available information\nshows there are some recurring examples of poor compliance such\nas transport of unfit animals, overstocking of vehicles,\ntransport of animals in vehicles in which the internal height of\nthe compartments is inappropriate, and animals being transported\nlonger than the maximum allowed travelling time. Often, poor\ncompliance appears to be related to improper\nenforcement.
\nThe Commission does not believe that an amendment\nwould be the most appropriate approach to address problems. A\nsteady legal situation will allow Member States and stakeholders to\nfocus on enforcement within a stable legal framework.
\nNavigation systems: the\nRegulation introduced the requirement for vehicles approved for\nlong journeys to be equipped with navigation systems. However, it\nappears that the full potential of the systems to decrease the\nadministrative burden for industry and to improve official controls\nis not being utilised. Despite the fact that the Regulation has\nbeen applied for more than four years, there are still important\ndifferences between Member States as regards the implementation of\nthe requirements related to navigation systems. Most Member States\ndo not yet have a comprehensive approach on how to check whether\nthe systems installed comply with the Regulation, and few\ncontrolling authorities use the data collected via the navigation\nsystem to carry out checks in accordance with the Regulation. In\nmany cases the data is only considered after the competent\nauthority has detected an infringement during a physical control\nbefore or during transport or at the place of destination. It is\ntherefore concluded that the navigation systems are not used in a\nwide perspective to improve controls.
\nVolume of trade:\naccording to the available data, the Regulation has not had any\nimpact on the volume of the intra-Union trade in live\nanimals.
\nCosts: the Regulation\nappears not to have provoked any impact on the animal production in\nremote regions. The introduction of the Regulation has lead to an\nincrease of transport costs but, probably due to competition in the\ntransport sector, this increase has not been evenly distributed\nalong the food chain and transport operators are mainly bearing the\nextra costs.
\nScientific knowledge: in\nthe EFSA opinion adopted on 2 December 2010 scientists recognise\nthat parts of the Regulation are not in line with current\nscientific knowledge, and point out specific areas where future\nresearch is recommended. In particular, scientists recommend that\ntransport time for horses for slaughter should be shorter than that\nprovided in the Regulation. The Commission feels that, for the time\nbeing, this is best addressed by the adoption of guides to good\npractices.
\nEnforcement:\nenforcement of the Regulation remains a major challenge,\npartly because of differences in interpretation of the requirements\nand because of lack of controls by the Member States. Furthermore,\nthe quality of monitoring data, submitted to the Commission by\nMember States, is often insufficient to provide a clear analysis of\nthe situation and to allow planning of specific corrective measures\nat EU level.
\nLive fish: the\nCommission will launch a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport, with a view to determining the appropriateness of a\nrevision of the provisions of the Regulation to improve the clarity\nof the legal framework on the transport of live fish for\naquaculture operators, in accordance with the Commission\nAquaculture Strategy.
\nTo correct the problems identified, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. The\nCommission will consider the following actions for the near\nfuture:
\n\n· \nadopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems as provided by the Regulation, and establish a\nsimplified version of the journey log. Furthermore, in close\nco-operation with the European GNSS Supervisory Authority, it\nshould be ensured that drivers are informed on how to profit from\nthe device. The objective is to improve harmonisation of the\nimplementation of the Regulation, and improve animal welfare\nthrough controlling the journey times, space allowance etc. of\nanimal transports. This action should also contribute to a reduced\nadministrative burden for the transporters, but may increase the\nadministrative burden for Member State authorities. However, this\nshould result in better enforcement of animal transport\nlegislation;
\n\n· \nadopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the Member\nStates, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At the\nsame time, the structure of the reporting system should be further\nharmonized. The objective is to increase in the number of\ninspections, which should lead to improved enforcement. The\ninformation received from Member State's reports would provide\nbetter and more comparable data when based on the same\nstructure;
\n\n· \nincreased co-operation and communication with\nthe competent authorities of Member States and stakeholders,\nincluding non-governmental animal welfare organisations. The\nobjective is to collect and analyse information on difficulties and\nshare experiences on possible solutions related to the\nimplementation of the Regulation;
\n\n· \ndissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and supporting the development of\nguides to good practice. These could focus on different aspects of\nday-to- day management that may be problematic and would encourage\nbest practice that considers the latest scientific knowledge. The\naim is to resolve ambiguities and inefficiencies in the current\nanimal welfare legislation and improve harmonisation of the\nimplementation of the rules. At the same time it would encourage\nindustry and other relevant parties to exceed the minimum welfare\nstandards for transporting animals.
\nThe Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this Report
\nThe Commission presents a report on the impact of\nCouncil Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals\nduring transport. The report describes the impact of the Regulation\non animal welfare and intra-Union trade, its socio-economic and\nregional implications as well as the implementation of the\nnavigation systems. It also contains information in relation to\nenforcement of the EU legislation.
\nMain conclusions
\nAnimal welfare: the\nRegulation has had beneficial impacts on the welfare of animals\nduring transport. Available data indicate that since 2005 the\noverall quality of animal transport on long journeys has improved,\nnotably due to improved vehicles and better handling of the\nanimals. The latter appears to be the result of the proper\nimplementation of the stricter training obligations for personnel\nhandling animals, which was introduced by the\nRegulation.
\nThe percentage of transported animals with lameness,\ninjuries, dehydration and exhaustion decreased, or remained\nunchanged, between 200629 and 2009. Concerning the animals reported\n\"dead on arrival\", the numbers decreased significantly from 2005 to\n2009. The difference was greater for long transport than for\nshorter transport. There has also been a significant decrease in\nthe number of animals \"observed unfit for travel upon arrival at\ndestination\".
\nEven though animal welfare in general has improved\nafter the introduction of the Regulation, the available information\nshows that severe animal welfare problems during transport persist.\nMost of these problems appear to be related to poor compliance\nof some requirements of the Regulation. Available information\nshows there are some recurring examples of poor compliance such\nas transport of unfit animals, overstocking of vehicles,\ntransport of animals in vehicles in which the internal height of\nthe compartments is inappropriate, and animals being transported\nlonger than the maximum allowed travelling time. Often, poor\ncompliance appears to be related to improper\nenforcement.
\nThe Commission does not believe that an amendment\nwould be the most appropriate approach to address problems. A\nsteady legal situation will allow Member States and stakeholders to\nfocus on enforcement within a stable legal framework.
\nNavigation systems: the\nRegulation introduced the requirement for vehicles approved for\nlong journeys to be equipped with navigation systems. However, it\nappears that the full potential of the systems to decrease the\nadministrative burden for industry and to improve official controls\nis not being utilised. Despite the fact that the Regulation has\nbeen applied for more than four years, there are still important\ndifferences between Member States as regards the implementation of\nthe requirements related to navigation systems. Most Member States\ndo not yet have a comprehensive approach on how to check whether\nthe systems installed comply with the Regulation, and few\ncontrolling authorities use the data collected via the navigation\nsystem to carry out checks in accordance with the Regulation. In\nmany cases the data is only considered after the competent\nauthority has detected an infringement during a physical control\nbefore or during transport or at the place of destination. It is\ntherefore concluded that the navigation systems are not used in a\nwide perspective to improve controls.
\nVolume of trade:\naccording to the available data, the Regulation has not had any\nimpact on the volume of the intra-Union trade in live\nanimals.
\nCosts: the Regulation\nappears not to have provoked any impact on the animal production in\nremote regions. The introduction of the Regulation has lead to an\nincrease of transport costs but, probably due to competition in the\ntransport sector, this increase has not been evenly distributed\nalong the food chain and transport operators are mainly bearing the\nextra costs.
\nScientific knowledge: in\nthe EFSA opinion adopted on 2 December 2010 scientists recognise\nthat parts of the Regulation are not in line with current\nscientific knowledge, and point out specific areas where future\nresearch is recommended. In particular, scientists recommend that\ntransport time for horses for slaughter should be shorter than that\nprovided in the Regulation. The Commission feels that, for the time\nbeing, this is best addressed by the adoption of guides to good\npractices.
\nEnforcement:\nenforcement of the Regulation remains a major challenge,\npartly because of differences in interpretation of the requirements\nand because of lack of controls by the Member States. Furthermore,\nthe quality of monitoring data, submitted to the Commission by\nMember States, is often insufficient to provide a clear analysis of\nthe situation and to allow planning of specific corrective measures\nat EU level.
\nLive fish: the\nCommission will launch a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport, with a view to determining the appropriateness of a\nrevision of the provisions of the Regulation to improve the clarity\nof the legal framework on the transport of live fish for\naquaculture operators, in accordance with the Commission\nAquaculture Strategy.
\nTo correct the problems identified, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. The\nCommission will consider the following actions for the near\nfuture:
\n\n· \nadopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems as provided by the Regulation, and establish a\nsimplified version of the journey log. Furthermore, in close\nco-operation with the European GNSS Supervisory Authority, it\nshould be ensured that drivers are informed on how to profit from\nthe device. The objective is to improve harmonisation of the\nimplementation of the Regulation, and improve animal welfare\nthrough controlling the journey times, space allowance etc. of\nanimal transports. This action should also contribute to a reduced\nadministrative burden for the transporters, but may increase the\nadministrative burden for Member State authorities. However, this\nshould result in better enforcement of animal transport\nlegislation;
\n\n· \nadopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the Member\nStates, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At the\nsame time, the structure of the reporting system should be further\nharmonized. The objective is to increase in the number of\ninspections, which should lead to improved enforcement. The\ninformation received from Member State's reports would provide\nbetter and more comparable data when based on the same\nstructure;
\n\n· \nincreased co-operation and communication with\nthe competent authorities of Member States and stakeholders,\nincluding non-governmental animal welfare organisations. The\nobjective is to collect and analyse information on difficulties and\nshare experiences on possible solutions related to the\nimplementation of the Regulation;
\n\n· \ndissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and supporting the development of\nguides to good practice. These could focus on different aspects of\nday-to- day management that may be problematic and would encourage\nbest practice that considers the latest scientific knowledge. The\naim is to resolve ambiguities and inefficiencies in the current\nanimal welfare legislation and improve harmonisation of the\nimplementation of the rules. At the same time it would encourage\nindustry and other relevant parties to exceed the minimum welfare\nstandards for transporting animals.
\nThe Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this Report
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nThe Commission presents a report on the impact of\nCouncil Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals\nduring transport. The report describes the impact of the Regulation\non animal welfare and intra-Union trade, its socio-economic and\nregional implications as well as the implementation of the\nnavigation systems. It also contains information in relation to\nenforcement of the EU legislation.
\nMain conclusions
\nAnimal welfare: the\nRegulation has had beneficial impacts on the welfare of animals\nduring transport. Available data indicate that since 2005 the\noverall quality of animal transport on long journeys has improved,\nnotably due to improved vehicles and better handling of the\nanimals. The latter appears to be the result of the proper\nimplementation of the stricter training obligations for personnel\nhandling animals, which was introduced by the\nRegulation.
\nThe percentage of transported animals with lameness,\ninjuries, dehydration and exhaustion decreased, or remained\nunchanged, between 200629 and 2009. Concerning the animals reported\n\"dead on arrival\", the numbers decreased significantly from 2005 to\n2009. The difference was greater for long transport than for\nshorter transport. There has also been a significant decrease in\nthe number of animals \"observed unfit for travel upon arrival at\ndestination\".
\nEven though animal welfare in general has improved\nafter the introduction of the Regulation, the available information\nshows that severe animal welfare problems during transport persist.\nMost of these problems appear to be related to poor compliance\nof some requirements of the Regulation. Available information\nshows there are some recurring examples of poor compliance such\nas transport of unfit animals, overstocking of vehicles,\ntransport of animals in vehicles in which the internal height of\nthe compartments is inappropriate, and animals being transported\nlonger than the maximum allowed travelling time. Often, poor\ncompliance appears to be related to improper\nenforcement.
\nThe Commission does not believe that an amendment\nwould be the most appropriate approach to address problems. A\nsteady legal situation will allow Member States and stakeholders to\nfocus on enforcement within a stable legal framework.
\nNavigation systems: the\nRegulation introduced the requirement for vehicles approved for\nlong journeys to be equipped with navigation systems. However, it\nappears that the full potential of the systems to decrease the\nadministrative burden for industry and to improve official controls\nis not being utilised. Despite the fact that the Regulation has\nbeen applied for more than four years, there are still important\ndifferences between Member States as regards the implementation of\nthe requirements related to navigation systems. Most Member States\ndo not yet have a comprehensive approach on how to check whether\nthe systems installed comply with the Regulation, and few\ncontrolling authorities use the data collected via the navigation\nsystem to carry out checks in accordance with the Regulation. In\nmany cases the data is only considered after the competent\nauthority has detected an infringement during a physical control\nbefore or during transport or at the place of destination. It is\ntherefore concluded that the navigation systems are not used in a\nwide perspective to improve controls.
\nVolume of trade:\naccording to the available data, the Regulation has not had any\nimpact on the volume of the intra-Union trade in live\nanimals.
\nCosts: the Regulation\nappears not to have provoked any impact on the animal production in\nremote regions. The introduction of the Regulation has lead to an\nincrease of transport costs but, probably due to competition in the\ntransport sector, this increase has not been evenly distributed\nalong the food chain and transport operators are mainly bearing the\nextra costs.
\nScientific knowledge: in\nthe EFSA opinion adopted on 2 December 2010 scientists recognise\nthat parts of the Regulation are not in line with current\nscientific knowledge, and point out specific areas where future\nresearch is recommended. In particular, scientists recommend that\ntransport time for horses for slaughter should be shorter than that\nprovided in the Regulation. The Commission feels that, for the time\nbeing, this is best addressed by the adoption of guides to good\npractices.
\nEnforcement:\nenforcement of the Regulation remains a major challenge,\npartly because of differences in interpretation of the requirements\nand because of lack of controls by the Member States. Furthermore,\nthe quality of monitoring data, submitted to the Commission by\nMember States, is often insufficient to provide a clear analysis of\nthe situation and to allow planning of specific corrective measures\nat EU level.
\nLive fish: the\nCommission will launch a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport, with a view to determining the appropriateness of a\nrevision of the provisions of the Regulation to improve the clarity\nof the legal framework on the transport of live fish for\naquaculture operators, in accordance with the Commission\nAquaculture Strategy.
\nTo correct the problems identified, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. The\nCommission will consider the following actions for the near\nfuture:
\n\n· \nadopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems as provided by the Regulation, and establish a\nsimplified version of the journey log. Furthermore, in close\nco-operation with the European GNSS Supervisory Authority, it\nshould be ensured that drivers are informed on how to profit from\nthe device. The objective is to improve harmonisation of the\nimplementation of the Regulation, and improve animal welfare\nthrough controlling the journey times, space allowance etc. of\nanimal transports. This action should also contribute to a reduced\nadministrative burden for the transporters, but may increase the\nadministrative burden for Member State authorities. However, this\nshould result in better enforcement of animal transport\nlegislation;
\n\n· \nadopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the Member\nStates, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At the\nsame time, the structure of the reporting system should be further\nharmonized. The objective is to increase in the number of\ninspections, which should lead to improved enforcement. The\ninformation received from Member State's reports would provide\nbetter and more comparable data when based on the same\nstructure;
\n\n· \nincreased co-operation and communication with\nthe competent authorities of Member States and stakeholders,\nincluding non-governmental animal welfare organisations. The\nobjective is to collect and analyse information on difficulties and\nshare experiences on possible solutions related to the\nimplementation of the Regulation;
\n\n· \ndissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and supporting the development of\nguides to good practice. These could focus on different aspects of\nday-to- day management that may be problematic and would encourage\nbest practice that considers the latest scientific knowledge. The\naim is to resolve ambiguities and inefficiencies in the current\nanimal welfare legislation and improve harmonisation of the\nimplementation of the rules. At the same time it would encourage\nindustry and other relevant parties to exceed the minimum welfare\nstandards for transporting animals.
\nThe Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this Report
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nPURPOSE: presentation of the European\nCommission’s report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC)\nNo 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.
\nCONTENT: in accordance with the provisions of Council\nRegulation (EC) No 1/2005, the purpose of this report is to examine\nthe impact of the Regulation on the welfare of animals being\ntransported and on the trade flows within the EU, its\nsocio-economic and regional impact, as well as the implementation\nof navigation systems. Furthermore, the report contains information\nin relation to enforcement of the EU legislation.
\nIt should be borne in mind that the Regulation applies\nto the transport of vertebrate animals transported in connection\nwith an economic activity. It does not take the transport of other\nspecies, such as dogs and cats, poultry, animals kept for\nscientific purposes, and exotic species, into account.
\nSpecific problems and actions concerning the transport\nof fish - identified under the Commission Strategy for the Sustainable\nDevelopment of European Aquaculture – are\nalso examined in the context of this report.
\nMain conclusions: based\non the information presented in the report, the following main\nconclusions can be drawn:
\nThe Commission’s position: although the Regulation has had a beneficial impact\non the welfare of animals during transport, it appears that there\nis room for improvement. Those improvements could be\nachieved by different actions and it should be emphasized that for\nthe vast majority of animals falling under the scope of the\nRegulation, the Commission does not see that an amendment would\nbe the most appropriate approach to address the identified\nproblems.
\nAs regards the gap between the requirements of the\nlegislation and available scientific evidence, the Commission sees\nthat, for the time being, this is best addressed by the adoption of\nguides to good practices.
\nAs regards live fish, the Commission will\nlaunch a study on the welfare of fish during transport, with a view\nto determining the appropriateness of a revision of the provisions\nof the Regulation to improve the clarity of the legal framework on\nthe transport of live fish for aquaculture operators, in accordance\nwith the Commission Aquaculture Strategy.
\nActions to be undertaken: to correct the identified problems, the appropriate\nenforcement of existing rules should remain the priority. For that\npurpose, the Commission will consider the following actions for the\nnear future:
\n1) Adopt implementing measures concerning\nnavigation systems and establish a simplified version of\nthe journey log, in accordance with point 8 of Annex II to the\nRegulation. Furthermore it should, in close co-operation with the\nEuropean GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), be ensured that drivers\nare informed on how to take the best profit of the\ndevice.
\n2) Adopt implementing measures concerning the\ncontrols to be performed by the competent authorities of the\nMember States, in accordance to Article 27(1) of the Regulation. At\nthe same time, the structure of the reporting system should be\nfurther harmonized.
\n3) Commence a study on the welfare of fish during\ntransport. The current work to launch a study on the welfare of\nfish during stunning will continue.
\n4) Increase co-operation and\ncommunication with the competent authorities of the Member\nStates and stakeholders, including Non Governmental animal welfare\nOrganisations. The contact points for the Regulation, and existing\nworking groups such as the Advisory group on the Food Chain and\nAnimal and Plant Health, could be used for this purpose.
\n5) Dissemination of Commission guidance on the\ninterpretation of the Regulation and support of the development of\nguides to good practice, as foreseen in the Regulation. Guides\ncould focus on different aspects of day-today management that may\nbe problematic and would encourage best practice that considers the\nlatest scientific knowledge.
\nBased on the elements\nabove, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the\nCouncil to discuss the issues highlighted in this\nReport.
\nThe Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development has\nadopted an own-initiative report by Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI (ECR, PL)\non the protection of animals during transport.
\nThe competent committee takes note of the Commission\nreport presenting the state of implementation of Council Regulation\n(EC) No 1/2005, which contains the conclusion that the Regulation\nhas had a positive impact on the welfare of animals during\ntransport, but notes that severe problems during animal\ntransport persist, due mainly to poor compliance and\nimplementation in the Member States.
\nThe report calls on the Commission:
\n\n· \nto ensure an effective and uniform\nenforcement of existing EU legislation on animal transport\nacross all Member States and to adopt measures to secure full and\nuniform monitoring of adherence to the transport\nconditions;
\n\n· \nto present a full evaluation of all the\neconomic, environmental and social costs and benefits incurred\nby the transport of animals, including a comparison between the\ntransport of animals for slaughter and the transport of carcasses\nand food products, as well as the effect of transport on the price\nof meat products, paying particular attention to the outermost\nregions and involving all stakeholders;
\n\n· \nto implement an extensive consumer\ninformation campaign on the subject of the European regulations\non animal welfare, providing continuous information on the changes\nbeing required of European producers for the purposes of raising\nthe profile of their work and improving the added value of their\nproduction;
\n\n· \nproposes a considerably shortened maximum\njourney limit for all movements of horses for slaughter, and\ninsists furthermore on a thorough, science-based review of welfare\nstandards for horses, if necessary accompanied by legislative\nproposals, including a reconsideration of vehicle design standards,\nspace allowances and water provision;
\n\n· \ndemands, in its bilateral trade negotiations\nwith third countries, implementation of the EU’s animal\nwelfare rules and to defend the internationalisation, within\nthe framework of the World Trade Organisation, of the Community\nprovisions on the subject;
\n\n· \nmake legislative proposals before 1 January\n2014, aimed at creating an EU-wide common framework for data\ncollection and control through satellite navigation, based on\nthe uploading of data in real time;
\n\n·