18 Amendments of Nuno MELO related to 2016/2077(INI)
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas in organic production systems rabbits are kept in group pens with access to a small area of pasture at the base of the pen, which allows the rabbits more space, increased social interaction and more opportunities for natural behaviour such as gnawing on wooden blocks, eating hay, hiding in tubes and under platforms, standing on their hind legs, lying stretched out, hopping and jumping; notes that group pens suffer from greater incidence of health problems (increase of diseases, mainly transmitted by oro-fecal route and higher mortality rates) due to poor hygiene and as consequence of negative social interactions (e.g. aggressiveness, fighting, cannibalism....).
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas there are minimum EU standards for the protection of pigs1 , calves2 , laying hens3 and broiler chickens4 , as well as the general Council Directive for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes5 , but there is not as yet any specific EU legislation on minimum standards for the protection of rabbits; whereas Member States, notably those where the majority of rabbit meat is produced, apply their own legislation to cover rabbit farming; _________________ 1 Council Directive 2008/120/EC laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs, Official Journal L 47, 18.02.2009 p. 5-13. 2 Council Directive 2008/119/EEC of 18 December 2008 laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves. Official Journal L 10, 11.1.2009 p. 7-13. 3 Council Directive 1999/74/EC of 19 July 1999 laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens. Official Journal L203, 3.8.1999 p. 53-57. 4 Council Directive 2007/43/EC of 28 June 2007 laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production, Official Journal L 182, 12.7.2007, p. 19-28. 5 Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes. Official Journal L221, 8.8.1998 p. 23-27.
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Expresses its concerns that rabbits in the EU are usually reared in unenriched cages, a barren environment that only has a drinker and feeder; also notes with concern that rabbits are fed on pellets and the close confines of the battery cages do not allow rabbits to express their natural behaviour;.
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Encourages the use of pen systems for groups, which are the most suitable system for rabbits because of their highly social behaviour; points out that the use of pen systems improves the welfare of farm rabbits and reduces the incidence of abnormal behaviour amongst themresearch on housing as pen systems are still an unsatisfactory solution as the raising of animals in groups often leads to more aggression between animals with a greater risk of injury, as well as to a more rapid development of disease;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Points out that rabbits can suffer from a wide range of welfare problems and diseases, including fatal viruses, snuffles and sore hocks from sitting on wire-mesh cage floors; is aware that investigations6 have shown that on some farms sick and injured rabbits are not treated and many fall victim to eye and fungal infections and respiratory conditions; notes with concern that the vast majority of these animals end up in the food chain, either as pet food or as meat sold to consumers in supermarkets; _________________ 6http://www.ciwf.org.uk/our- campaigns/investigations/rabbit- investigations/2014-the-biggest-secret-of- the-cage-age/considers that more efforts are needed to tackle the lack of investment and the lack of medicines, including vaccines to treat Minor Uses and Minor Species (e.g., aquaculture, bees, goats or rabbits); points out that rabbits can suffer from a wide range of welfare problems and diseases, including fatal viruses, snuffles and sore hocks from sitting on wire-mesh cage floors;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Underlines that growing rabbits and does kept in pen systems, typically 750 cm²/rabbit for growers and 800 cm²/rabbit for does, benefit from more space for movement, social interaction and play, and that platforms i; underlines the need to encourage more research on pen systems, allow rabbits to avoid aggressors by getting out of the way, with separate housing for does when they are nursing a litters existing parks are still an unsatisfactory housing solution as the raising of animals in groups often leads to more aggression between animals with a greater risk of injury, as well as to a more rapid development of disease;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Points out that transport is an extremely stressful experience for rabbits; underlines that rabbits should be fed before long-distance transport and be provided with adequate food, water and space in transit, and that transport times should be as limited as possible, owing to the sensitivity of the species; emphasises that there are a huge variety of stress factors that affect animal welfare and that these differ between regions or even farms;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Invites the Commission to consider pen systems as the guiding principle when proposing measures for housing requirements for breeding does and for rabbits reared for meat productionprovide additional support for research dedicated to rabbit farming; calls on the Commission to apply a positive discrimination of projects targeting minor species (e.g. rabbits);
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that all measures should be harmonised at EU level by introducing specific EU legislation for the minimum protection of farm rabbits, including a clear system of production labelling allowing consumers in the EU to make an informed choice about the rabbit meat they buyupports enforcement and harmonization of existing rules (including the use of common guidelines) in the EU rather than new legislation; believes in market-oriented European animal welfare and encourages the development of guidelines, aiming to help and train producers to implement the provisions of animal welfare in rabbit production, on a voluntary basis;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Points out that the promotion of animal welfare can only succeed in the framework of economically viable production systems and the EU rabbit sector is undergoing a deep crisis situation; considers that establishing additional welfare measures for farms at this moment would be unaffordable and would accentuate the recession in the sector, possibly leading to its closure in the EU;
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20 b. Believes that European farmers and their agri-cooperatives aim to address consumer's needs and wishes, supplying sufficiently healthy and high-quality agricultural and food products at affordable prices; points out that, in order to do so, they need to remain economically viable whilst responding effectively to new challenges such as the growing demand for food, limited natural resources, the effects of climate change or the emergence and spread of new diseases.
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 c (new)
Paragraph 20 c (new)
20 c. Strongly believes that individual Member States should be working with their farmers to develop workable and more effective solutions that would fit the specific production and climatic conditions of each European region, on a voluntary basis;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 d (new)
Paragraph 20 d (new)
20 d. Considers that discussions on animal welfare should take into account the associated costs of complying with legislation and the competitiveness of the sector; points out that EU producers have to compete with third countries that have different standards on animal welfare; asks the Commission to reflect on the possibility of re-launching discussions on animal welfare in the WTO;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 f (new)
Paragraph 20 f (new)
20 f. Calls on the Commission to provide accurate and regularly updated EU statistics on rabbit production, market prospects & trade; calls on the Member States and Eurostat to provide for mandatory data collection of data for rabbit meat;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 e (new)
Paragraph 20 e (new)
20 e. Considers that financial support should be made available to support farmers to implement existing provisions on animal welfare and for those farmers willing to experiment animal welfare measures that go beyond current mandatory requirements; requests, in addition, that the sector be included as a priority for European programs to promote the consumption of EU rabbit meat;