The Commission would like to refer the Honourable Member of the European Parliament to its reply to written questions E-007512/2011 and E-002704/2012[1].

The Commission does not have specific information to be able to investigate the problem raised. It would need to receive evidence of a consistent and systematic failure of the Spanish authorities in enforcing EU legislation.

The Commission organised in May 2014 the first EU experts working group on the welfare of horses in cooperation with animal protection organisations. The meeting was an opportunity to acknowledge the complexity of the situation of horses with regards to EU rules.

• [1] http://www.europarl.europa.eu/plenary/en/parliamentary-questions.html

OJ C 377, 23/10/2014