Protecting the EU's internal market and consumer rights from the negative implications of the illegal trade in companion animals

14.3.2019

Question for oral answer O-000023/2019
to the Commission
Rule 128
Pavel Poc, Renate Sommer, Catherine Bearder, Sirpa Pietikäinen, Jiří Pospíšil, Joëlle Mélin, José Inácio Faria, Mark Demesmaeker, Frédérique Ries, Stefan Eck, Tilly Metz, Emil Radev, Petras Auštrevičius, Karoline Graswander-Hainz, Karin Kadenbach, Evelyn Regner, Eugen Freund, Rory Palmer, John Flack, Marlene Mizzi, Stelios Kouloglou, Elena Gentile, Bart Staes, Anja Hazekamp, Davor Škrlec, Daciana Octavia Sârbu, Giorgos Grammatikakis, Monika Beňová, Younous Omarjee, Babette Winter, Benedek Jávor, Sven Giegold, Jytte Guteland, Monika Smolková, Olga Sehnalová, Jan Keller, Miroslav Poche, Elmar Brok, Marijana Petir, Esther de Lange, Marco Affronte, Birgit Collin-Langen, Stefan Gehrold, Sabine Verheyen, Daniel Caspary, Peter Liese, Monika Hohlmeier, György Hölvényi, Reimer Böge, Ivo Belet, Wim van de Camp, Petri Sarvamaa, Henna Virkkunen, Eleonora Evi

Each year a significant number of companion animals are illegally traded across the Member States, often by abusing the EU’s pet movement legislation (Regulation (EU) No 576/2013), which is intended for non-commercial movements of pet animals, to commercially move them across borders for sale, which should be carried out under Council Directive 92/65/EEC.

The trafficking of pets has negative implications on public health, animal welfare and consumer protection. It has become a major source of income for organised international crime and also affects the smooth functioning of the EU’s internal market through lost taxes and by creating unfair competition, particularly with the increase in the online sale of pets, which is poorly regulated both nationally and under EU law. Indeed some NGOs estimate that an illegal breeder selling breed dogs across borders could be making a profit of more than EUR 100 000 per annum.

1. When does the Commission plan to adopt a cross-sectoral EU Action Plan to address the illegal trade in companion animals in the EU?

2. Does the Commission plan to come forward, via a delegated act under the Animal Health Law, with a proposal for detailed, compatible systems for the means and methods to identify and register cats and dogs in databases in the Member States, which should be linked through an EU platform?

Tabled: 14.3.2019

Forwarded: 18.3.2019

Deadline for reply: 25.3.2019