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Parliamentary question - E-005724/2012Parliamentary question
E-005724/2012

Watering of animals during long-distance transport

Question for written answer E-005724/2012
to the Commission
Rule 117
Pavel Poc (S&D)

Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals lays down in Annex I, Chapter V, point 1.4 the watering intervals required for different animal species transported on long-distance journeys. For example, a break of at least one hour is required to water cattle, sheep and goats in between two transport periods of 14 hours. Horses and donkeys must be given water every eight hours during a 24-hour transport period.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 does not require that the animals be unloaded from the truck during these watering intervals.

1. Is the Commission of the opinion that it is realistic to think that the inspection authorities of the Member States are in a position to adequately verify if the animals have in fact been watered during long-distance transports?

2. If the answer to question no 1 is positive, how are these checks carried out in practice?

3. In consideration of the information it has acquired over the years, does the Commission consider it possible that all animals transported over long-distance journeys (i.e., over eight hours) are adequately watered as required by the regulation? If this is not the case, is the Commission going to propose a review of the regulation that will stop long-distance transports in order to comply with the requirements of the regulation itself and of Article 13 TFEU?

OJ C 256 E, 05/09/2013