Activities of Stefan ECK related to 2014/0032(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the zootechnical and genealogical conditions for trade in and imports into the Union of breeding animals and their germinal products
Amendments (21)
Amendment 46 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
(1a) Compliance with all the EU’s animal health and animal welfare rules will enhance the economic, social and environmental potential of this agricultural activity, which contributes to food security and public health in the Union.
Amendment 47 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 b (new)
Recital 1 b (new)
(1b) Animal health is a concern for all European citizens. This concern stems from the public health, food safety and food security aspects, which are related to animal health, but also from the economic costs that animal disease outbreaks can trigger and the animal welfare considerations.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12a) Everyday many live animals are traded in the European Union. In order that such animals be moved safely avoiding the transmission of diseases to either the public or other animals, the EU has laid down a wide range of animal health requirements.
Amendment 49 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 b (new)
Recital 12 b (new)
(12b) In accordance with Union animal health legislation, improved communication and exchange of best practices between Member States would contribute for a better implementation of the breeding standards and would enhance their enforcement and respective penalties for non-compliance.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The quality of the services provided by breed societies and breeding operations and the way that they evaluate and classify animals has an impact on the value of breeding animals on the market. Accordingly, rules should be laid down for the recognition of breed societies and breeding operations based on harmonised Union criteria - animal health and animal welfare criteria included - and their supervision by the competent authority of Member States in order to ensure that the rules established by them do not create disparities between breeding programmes and breeding standards and thereby create technical barriers to intra-Union trade.
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) These breeding standards are aimed at ensuring the sustainability of breeding programmes through the incorporation of subjects such as food safety, animal welfare and health, transport of live animals, environment, product quality and genetic diversity, which are all interlinked.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 b (new)
Recital 16 b (new)
(16b) Even small-scale farmers must transport their animals for long distances. This causes the animals to be stressed before and during the slaughter process and causes the quality of the meat to be compromised, notably by the use of a bigger quantity of antibiotics, resulting in losses both in terms of productivity and in environmental terms as a source of extra CO2 emissions.
Amendment 53 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 c (new)
Recital 16 c (new)
(16c) To counter this problem, a reduction in travelling times, as recommended by EFSA, at least in some cases, and more local and smaller slaughterhouses are needed.
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 d (new)
Recital 16 d (new)
(16d) Initiatives and legislation addressing the use of mobile slaughterhouses could be promoted. This would result in less animal suffering, less road traffic and in better quality meat.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iii a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iii a (new)
(iiia) animals fed with genetically modified organisms and cloned animals or their offspring are excluded from the regulation in line with EFSA’s concerns related to the welfare of clones;
Amendment 72 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Local authorities have primary responsibility for enforcing the rules to protect animals during transportation.
Amendment 73 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Operators shall be responsible for the health of kept animals and products under their responsibility and shall take the appropriate and necessary measures to ensure that: (a) the health status of kept terrestrial animals is not jeopardised during transport (b) transport operations of kept terrestrial animals do not cause the potential spread of diseases to humans and animals at places of assembly, resting and destination.
Amendment 74 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 c (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 2 c (new)
Common Union requirements for competence for staff handling animals will ensure that handlers possess the abilities to identify, prevent or limit animals’ pain, suffering and distress as well as to know the legal obligations related to the protection and welfare of animals.
Amendment 95 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 29 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Studies or tests involving animals will respect the rules on animal welfare laid down by the Union legislation and they should not be repeated if not necessary.
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Article 29 – paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. The use of in vitro methods or of methods refining or replacing the usual tests using laboratory animals or reducing the number of animals used in these tests shall be encouraged.
Amendment 114 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 46 – paragraph 6 a (new)
Article 46 – paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Controls’ responsibilities will be well clarified for farmers, veterinaries and other agents dealing with animals.
Amendment 115 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 46 – paragraph 6 b (new)
Article 46 – paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. The controls in place are aimed at protecting livestock during transit and will include detail of how the rules vary according to the distance and duration of journeys, and the species of animals involved.
Amendment 116 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 46 – paragraph 6 c (new)
Article 46 – paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Controls will allow greater use of new technologies for animal health activities such as surveillance of pathogens, electronic identification and registration of animals.
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 60 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 60 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. In any case will the existing EU eight hour limit to all live animal transport journeys be infringed.
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 60 – paragraph 3 b (new)
Article 60 – paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. The animals’ fitness for transport (in terms of means of transport and transport practices, watering and feeding intervals, journey times and resting periods according to species’ specific needs, additional provisions for long journeys and space allowances) will require special attention from the competent authorities and concerned economic operators.
Amendment 122 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 60 – paragraph 3 c (new)
Article 60 – paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Member States will consider EC proposals to improve animal welfare in transports covering: (a) satellite tracking systems; (b) increased number of inspections; (c) increased co-operation and communication between the competent authorities and NGOs; (d) a programme to improve animal welfare at slaughter delivered by the EU and by the Member States; (e) an export supply assurance scheme that would guarantee the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) standards at destination.