43 Amendments of Jérôme RIVIÈRE related to 2020/2269(INI)
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 a (new)
Citation 24 a (new)
— having regard to the significant progress on animal welfare made by all of the sectors involved in this report in recent decades,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 b (new)
Citation 24 b (new)
— having regard to the fact that the EU regulations and standards on animal welfare are the highest in the world, thanks to the efforts of our breeders, transporters and civil society,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the Committee of Inquiry started work on 23 September 2020, setting out the methodology for its work consisting of public hearings, consultations of experts, requests for data, evidence and research, which have not yet been concluded at the time of writing this report;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas a number of justifiable reasons exist for the movement of live animals, including marketing, fattening, slaughter, rearing and breeding;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas every year millions of animals are transported over long distances within and between Member States and from and to third countries;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
Ja. whereas the disappearance of local slaughterhouses prevents farmers from selling meat directly within their territory and this is one of the reasons for longer journey times; whereas this is a challenge that the Union and the Member States must tackle;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J b (new)
Recital J b (new)
Jb. whereas slaughtering animals as close as possible to where they are reared allows farmers to promote their own agricultural products and is likely to ensure greater animal welfare;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Ka. whereas imports of animals into the EU often lead to unfair practices against our breeders as a result of insufficient animal welfare rules;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K b (new)
Recital K b (new)
Kb. whereas EU rules and standards on animal welfare are the highest in the world, thanks to the significant progress made and the efforts of our breeders, transporters and civil society;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K c (new)
Recital K c (new)
Kc. whereas it is important to support our livestock sectors, preventing loss of market share;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Emphasises that transport is, if it does not comply with the conditions laid down in the regulations and the provisions adopted by the Member States, transport can be stressful for animals and can have a potential impact on their health and welfare;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that in the Council conclusions of 16 December 2019 on animal welfare, all Member States recognised the challenges that long- distance transport implies for animal welfare, the shortcomings and inconsistencies in enforcing the rules and the need for better rule enforcement, as well as the need to review and update the current legislation;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that the Commission, in its 2011 report on the impact of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, identified the enforcement of the regulation as a major challenge, partly because of differences in the interpretatransposition of the requirements and partly because of the lack of controls by the Member States;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 does not fullyshould be updated, takeing into account the research and testing activities carried out on transport based on the different transport needs of animals, according to species, age, size and physical condition, or specific feeding and watering requirements;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Concludes that manysome of the problems in animal transport originate from unclear requirements and the lack of clear definitions in the current regulation, leaving room for unevdifferent application of the rules and for increased risks for animals, and for unfair competition among operators in the sector, leaving companies which abide by the rules facing unfair competition from those which do not;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls attention to the numerous reports and information from citizens, NGOs and audit reports on animal welfare problems during transport and non- compliance with the regulation, in particular concerning long journeys and transport from and to third countries, in some cases compromising the European Union’s obligation to ensure the protection of animal welfare during transport;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes good note of the information provided by NGOs regarding the complaints lodged with the Commission on the alleged failure to comply with Regulation (EC) No 1/2005; takes note of their conclusions of systematicome breaches of the regulation;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Acknowledges the letters sent by the Commission, in the framework of the Farm to Fork strategy, asking Member States to ensure immediate and full compliance with EU requirements, including on animal welfare during transport, and expressing its determination to take legal action in the event of systematic non-compliance; notes that no infringements proceedings have been opened by the Commission against any Member State;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Points out that the space allowances as defined in the regulation create room for different interpretations by the competent authorities and transporters, in particular when adaptations are needed to take account of meteorological conditions and journey timesmeans of transport must comply with the regulation with regard to space allowances and ventilation conditions, which must be sufficient to ensure the welfare of the animals during transport; stresses that overcrowding is particularly harmful for animals when combined with inadequate ventilation;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recognises that unclear requirements for headroom often lead to situations where animals are not able to stand in their natural position, underminit is in the absolute interest of sellers, transporters and buyers to ensure that all animal welfare requirements are met during transport, including the objective of protecting animals during transportadroom and correct loading and unloading procedures, to ensure that animals arrive at their destination in the best possible condition;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Takes note of several reports of incorrect handling by some operators during animal loading and unloading, causing unnecessary stress and suffering; stresses that proper animal handling results in shorter loading and unloading times, reduced weight loss, fewer injuries and wounds and, ultimately, better meat quality;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Finds that inadequate partitions in road vehicles constitute a common violation of the Animal Transport Regulation and have the potential to causet is necessary to establish suitable funding and support for transport modernisation, with appropriate technology to load, transport and unload animals in complete safety, including for humans, without causing accidents and injuries to animals;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Is very concerned about the number of reports of inappropriate vehicles being used to transport live animals, whether by land or by sea, and recognises the majornotes the differences between the Member States in interpreting and enforcing the regulation, as far as the approval of the means of transport is concerned;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Points out with concern that the inspection and certification procedures for livestock vessels are not harmonised and lack mandatory inspection criteria, which is aggravated by the fact that the results of these procedures are not communicated between Member States, leading to the real possibility of a vessel that has been rejected in one Member State being approved in another; notes that in some cases there is evidence that the authorities in some Member States have approved and/or permitted the use of vessels which do not comply with the EU rules on animal welfare;
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Acknowledges the existence, in general, of well-developed national guidelines for the approval of livestock vehicles for road transport, but regretnotes that they are not always followed during the approval procedures;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Acknowledges that some road transport vehicles are not structurally appropriate and do not guarantee safety and comfort to the transported animals; notes that new and innovative solutions for watering and feeding systems, as well as solutions to better accommodate live animals during long journeys, are still lackavailable and should be promoted and encouraged through appropriate EU funding;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Notes that the vehicles used for transporting animals inside and, outside and to the Union are often not equipped with air cooling systems; highlights that though air ventilation systems move the air through the animal compartment, the temperature inside the vehicle will nevertheless mainly reflect the external temperature, in particular when the vehicle is stationary;
Amendment 367 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Is aware that, despite the high level of non-compliance during animal transport, reporting of infringements between the Member States is poor and that effective and dissuasive sanctions against those who violate the regulation are lacking;
Amendment 374 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Points out that Member States are solely responsible for creating sanction systems, which ultimately leaves each of them to define their own administrative and sanctioning procedures, as well as the level of penalties for infringements in the event of animal welfare violations during transport, thereby resulting in very different systems all across the EU;
Amendment 388 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Recognises the difficulties for competent authorities in performing checks and in collecting data, particularly on end- of-the journey log information and satellite navigation system data, which create difficulties when assessing journeys and performing retrospective checks, as well as for imposing sanctions on transporters from other Member States; recognises that this is due in part to the current system of paper journey logs and the lack of agreed standards for satellite navigation systems; notes that greater cooperation in developing technology to collect and check all transport data would facilitate the procedures;
Amendment 419 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Regrets the fact that, in spite of the mandatory use of control post facilities for unloading, watering, feeding and resting of animals during long journeys, in some Member States the drivers of the vehicles do not always stop in keeping with the requirements of the regulation, as has been reported on various occasions;
Amendment 425 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Recalls that the current Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 does not give precise indications about the amount and the type of bedding to be made available for livestock; stresses thate importance of adequate ventilation, preventing dirty or insufficient bedding from exposesing animals to the risk of injuries, cold and lack of physical comfort when lying down, and from contributesing to negative health conditions;
Amendment 437 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 a (new)
Paragraph 43 a (new)
43a. Recalls the need to support the various sectors involved and to highlight the many advances made in recent decades and the good practices already adopted;
Amendment 446 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Points out that exposure to temperatures outside the optimal range, and, in particular, to high temperatures, is one of the maimeans of transport with unsuitable ventilation systems can causes of animal welfare problems and suffering during transport;
Amendment 451 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Notes that Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 only contains a general provision on temperature, lacking indications about the temperature-humidity index and about species- and age-specific optimal temperature ranges that must be checked before departure and monitored during the journey;
Amendment 463 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Recalls that the means of transport by road and sea for long journeys must be fitted with a temperature monitoring and recording system, as well as with a means of recording such data; regrets the lack of mandatory requirements for such systems in livestock vessels;
Amendment 484 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Stresses the vulnerability of unweaned animals and that the current minimum age for the transport of calves is too low; highlights that, according to various experts and the former sub-group of the EU Animal Platform on Animal Welfare, more scientific evidence is needed to support good practices in the long-distance transport of unweaned animals and that the current provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 are notmust be strictly applied in order to be adapted to the needs of these animals;
Amendment 509 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 a (new)
Paragraph 50 a (new)
50a. Recalls that to ensure improved animal welfare, the livestock or transport sectors require investment and research that are properly supported by specific funding;
Amendment 530 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52
52. Stresses the lack of clarity of the provisions in the Animal Transport Regulation on the identification of the organiser and the transporter, and on the suitability of the vessel and the preparedness and capability of the crew to ensure animal welfare, on the sea journey leg, particularly when the operation involves several consignments with different origins;
Amendment 534 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53
Paragraph 53
53. Considers that the presence of a veterinarianone or more official veterinarians or other qualified personnel, in proportion to the number of animals transported, for the leg of the journey at sea to provide support for sick or injured animals on vessels constitutes good practicemust be made obligatory;
Amendment 545 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53 a (new)
Paragraph 53 a (new)
53a. Emphasises the need to promote mobile slaughterhouses, particularly in island and mountain areas, to reduce considerably the transport of live animals, particularly injured or end-of-career animals, and to encourage direct sales;
Amendment 557 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 9
Subheading 9
Transport of live animals from and to third countries
Amendment 559 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Welcomes the Commission’s efforts to promote EU standards internationally, in the framework of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE); considers that the rules on the well- being of animals in third countries provide a much lower level of protection than the EU standards and regrets the fact that OIE standards are not sufficiently applied in third countries; considers that more effort must be made to avoid unfair competition with European companies and EU operators who observe stricter regulations than third countries;