Fine Gael MEP Colm Markey has said that he will seek changes to the European Commission’s new proposals around the animal transport.
Yesterday, (Thursday, December 7), the European Commission proposed to implement legislation on a range of measures on animal welfare during transport.
These proposals would see a minimum age of five weeks and minimum weight of 50kg for unweaned calves to be transported.
There will also be a journey of nine hours maximum for animals transported for slaughter under these proposals.
Special rules will apply to animals for slaughter, and to “vulnerable” animals such as unweaned calves and pregnant animals.
Markey, an MEP for the Ireland Midlands – North-West constituency, said that the proposals are “broadly positive” but claimed that “certain aspects will be challenging for farmers”.
“We all acknowledge the importance of maintaining high animal welfare standards across the EU and ensuring strict regulatory compliance,” he said.
“[MEPs’] 18-month engagement in the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Animal Transport significantly contributed to the commission’s proposal.
“While I broadly welcome this package, there are some issues that concern me,” he added.
One of the issues Markey cited is the age restriction for travel.
“I believe the minimum age of five weeks for unweaned calves to be transported will prove challenging for farmers. I have previously highlighted the potential consequences of keeping calves on the farm for extended periods, including the associated animal welfare risks,” he said.
“I will be actively seeking amendments to this specific proposal when it returns to the European Parliament.”
The proposed new provisions on space in animal transport vehicles in also a point of contention for Markey.
“I’m also concerned about some of the proposals regarding vehicle space, which would effectively replace the triple-decker lorry with double-decker trucks. This would inevitably reduce the stock on-board and could render the transport of animals economically unviable for many,” he said.
“Whether this regulation returns to parliament before the end of term remains to be seen, but more work will be required to iron out these issues and ensure that farmers have enough time to deal with any changes,” he addedd.
Concerns over the proposed legislation has also been expressed by another Irish MEP, namely Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher.
Like Markey, Kelleher said that there are some positives in the commission’s proposal.
He said: “There is an acceptance that time spent at sea should not be counted in any maximum journey time calculation.
“However, I am concerned at the maximum journey time for unweaned calves being set at nine hours.
“The average journey time from the ferry port in Cherbourg to the major markets in the north of the Netherlands is approximately 12-13 hours,” he said.