Verbatim report of proceedings

Thursday, 15 March 2012 - Strasbourg

9. Establishment of a maximum eight-hour journey limit for animals transported in the European Union for the purpose of being slaughtered (written declaration)

  President. − Written declaration No 49 of 2011 on the establishment of a maximum eight-hour journey for animals transported in the European Union for the purpose of being slaughtered, submitted by Dan Jørgensen, Esther de Lange, Pavel Poc, Carl Schlyter and Andrea Zanoni, was signed by the majority of Members of Parliament.

According to Rule 123 of the Rules of Procedure, it will therefore be submitted to the addressees indicated and will be published in the minutes as a text adopted in this session, also bearing the names of the signatories.

  Carl Schlyter (Verts/ALE). - Mr President, this declaration is the result of a combined effort with Dan Jørgensen, Pavel Poc, Esther de Lange and Andrea Zanoni. We worked hard, and I wish to thank everybody who signed the declaration. The Commission said eight years ago to Parliament that it could reduce transport time but that we had to create the political pressure for this. Well, Parliament has done that, and one million signatures have been obtained for this initiative started by Dan Jørgensen and others. That means one million citizens, plus more than half of Parliament and several Ministers. Now, Commission, the political pressure is on you. Please give us this legislation. I wish to thank all Members.

(Applause)

  Dan Jørgensen (S&D). – (DA) Mr President, two Commissioners have stood in this Chamber and said that there will be a proposal for new legislation in this area. Twice we have been promised this and it has not materialised. Now a million citizens have said that they demand new legislation and the majority in this House has said that we demand new legislation. The Commission cannot put this off any longer. That is all there is to it.