Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission
28.8.2023
Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005[1] lays down rules for the protection of animals during transport and related operations. Equine animals that are themselves used as a means of transport for persons and luggage or for pulling carriages, are not covered by this regulation.
There is currently no EU specific legislation on minimum standards for the protection of equine animals. The Council Directive 98/58/EC[2] currently lays down minimum protection standards for animals kept for farming purposes, including equines, therefore not for the transport activities mentioned.
There is no obligation for Member States to report to the Commission incidents of mistreatment or abuse of animals in the existing EU legislation mentioned above.
As announced in the Farm to Fork Strategy[3], the Commission intends to put forward legislative proposals to revise the animal welfare legislation. The Inception Impact Assessment[4] presented an option to establish new species-specific welfare requirements including for Equidae.
An indicative roadmap[5] for developing scientific opinions on welfare for different species was agreed with the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and it includes the welfare of Equidae to allow the adoption of further specific requirements in the future.
- [1] Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations and amending Directives 64/432/EEC and 93/119/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1255/97, OJ L 3, 5.1.2005, p. 1.
- [2] Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes OJ L 221, 8.8.1998, p. 23.
- [3] Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system, COM/2020/381 final
- [4] https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12950-Animal-welfare-revision-of-EU-legislation_en
- [5] https://food.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2021-10/aw_eval_revision_roadmap_efsa.pdf