Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission
7.2.2024
It is not possible to establish the exact number of hours spent so far on the ongoing preparatory work for the revision of the EU animal welfare legislation, which includes the work on the 11 scientific opinions published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the analysis of the public consultation, the work on the impact assessment and accompanying studies, including discussions with the Commission’s Regulatory Scrutiny Board, the work of consultation of stakeholders, the drafting of the legislative proposals. It is clearly a complex ongoing process, with many Commission services involved, in addition to EFSA.
So far, the result has been the adoption on 7 December 2023 of a legislative proposal on animal transport[1] and a legislative proposal, for the first time, on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability[2].
However, the work on the other parts of the animal welfare legislation reform, including as regards the intention to phase out cages, is continuing.
Hence, the Commission’s preparatory work has not at all been performed in vain or is wasted. In addition, the EFSA opinions are useful not only for the preparatory work on the legislative revision, but also to support Member States’ implementation of current animal welfare rules based on the latest scientific evidence.
- [1] Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of animals during transport and related operations, amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, COM/2023/770 final.
- [2] Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability, COM/2023/769 final.