The resumption of the trade in wild-caught long-tailed macaques in Mauritius
15.6.2021
Question for written answer E-003128/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Manuela Ripa (Verts/ALE), Günther Sidl (S&D), Marie Toussaint (Verts/ALE), Anja Hazekamp (The Left), Francisco Guerreiro (Verts/ALE), Martin Buschmann (NI), Eleonora Evi (Verts/ALE)
During the revision of Directive (2010/63/EU) on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, it was acknowledged that animal welfare problems arise from the capture of wild non-human primates. The Directive set 2022 as the implementation date by which only primates who are the offspring of those bred in captivity or sourced from self-sustaining colonies may be used. Recent developments in Mauritius, a major supplier of long-tailed macaques to the EU, are pointing to the resumption of wild-caught trade for breeding and export. The Mauritius government has approved the expansion of one primate farm, allowing up to 1 000 wild macaques to be captured for breeding. This represents a major step backward for animal welfare.
- 1.Given the EU has set the date for ending the use of wild-caught primates and for using only first-generation offspring in research, is it not incongruous that at the same time the EU is importing primates from a country that not only condones the wild-caught trade but is also allowing it to expand?
- 2.How will the EU ensure that primates imported from Mauritius are genuinely captive-bred and not sourced from farms involved in the export or trapping of long-tailed macaques for breeding purposes?