[441] in Vegetarian_Support_Group
TO END ANIMAL TRANSPORT (UK) (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (elsiedee@MIT.EDU)
Fri Mar 24 09:46:01 1995
To: vsg@MIT.EDU
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 95 09:45:16
From: elsiedee@MIT.EDU
------- Forwarded Message
To: ar-news@cygnus.com
Subject: BID TO END ANIMAL TRANSPORT (UK)
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 1995 01:11:20 -0500
From: DHARMALCL@aol.com
By Peter Blackburn
BRUSSELS, March 23 (Reuter) - Farm ministers are expected to make a
fresh
attempt on Tuesday to break a 20-month deadlock over the protection of
animals during long journeys, EU officials said.
But with positions of northern livestock exporting and southern
importing
member states unchanged there was little prospect of success.
``The discussion could be quite short,'' said one diplomat from a
northern member state.
A compromise by the French EU Presidency that journey times, watering,
feeding and rest intervals should vary according to the type of animal
remains on the table.
France says that although far from ideal its compromise is the only way
out of the impasse.
European Commission officials note France has little room for manoeuvre
and see little sign of the political will needed to reach an agreement.
Northern member states, which occupy the moral high ground, insist
animal
welfare should take precedence over economic interests.
Austria and Germany say they are bound by their parliaments to insist
on
six- and eight-hour maximum journey limits before animals are slaughtered.
Sweden and Denmark insist that after every 24 hours of travel animals
should be allowed to rest for a similar period.
The Netherlands says a 24-hour rest period is sacrosanct and strict
monitoring is needed.
Britain, which is under strong pressure from animal rights campaigners,
says that the proposed journey times are too long and rest periods too
short.
France proposed that cattle should be given two-hour rest periods after
every eight hours of travel up to 24 hours, and then have 12 hours for
rest,
feeding and watering before resuming the journey.
Pigs, which become aggressive when unloaded, would be watered in
vehicles
every eight hours during a maximum 24-hour journey. But those in
air-conditioned, automatic watering vehicles could, after a two-hour rest,
continue for a second and final 24-hour period.
In the southern camp, Italy argues that rules to protect animals should
be scientifically, not emotionally, based. Neither the EU's scientific
veterinary committee, nor the European Commission, have proposed a maximum
journey limit.
The Commission, following advice of the committee, proposed in July
1993
improved transport conditions - stocking densities, feeding, watering and
resting periods - and stricter enforcement of EU rules.
Italy, which handles 55 percent of the 20-million farm animals traded
annually between member states, says it cannot accept more than an
eight-hour
rest period between journeys.
It opposes the maximum 24-hour journey limit on the transport of pigs
in
ordinary vehicles.
The proposed stricter rules would make imports of farm animals
uneconomic
and put an estimated 170,000 jobs in slaughter houses, meat processing
factories, road haulage companies and livestock fattening farms at risk.
Greece, another major importer of farm animals, said it needed flexible
rules due to its peripheral position in the EU. Portugal also said looser
rules were needed for it to continue importing livestock.
Spain, which warned that it could not be expected to improve the
compromise when it takes over the EU Presidency in July, suggested
separating
journey limits from the rest of the package of measures to protect animals.
It noted that a Greek compromise, which excluded journey limits, would
have won a qualified majority support last June but for German opposition.
Italy, Portugal, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg and Belgium supported the
Spanish idea.
Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Britain and Austria
said
that maximum journey limits were an essential part of animal welfare.
But Germany said it could accept the Spanish suggestion if it was
allowed
a national eight-hour limit.
REUTER
Transmitted: 95-03-23 13:56:12 EST
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