Transport of animals: eight-hour principle

26.7.2012

Question for written answer E-007482/2012
to the Commission
Rule 117
Joanna Senyszyn (S&D)

The current EU legislation Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations defines ‘long journeys’ as ‘journeys exceeding eight hours’.

In addition, Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 lays down the basic principle that journeys for animals should not exceed eight hours. The previous legislation, Council Directive 91/628/EEC as amended, stipulated the same basic principle.

In recent public statements, Commission representatives spoke of an eight-hour journey limit as a made-up number, rather than as a principle already present in EU legislation.

1. On what basis did the Commission establish the threshold for long-distance transport as exactly eight hours?

2. What new data does the Commission have which lead it to dismiss as irrelevant this principle already contained in EU legislation?

OJ C 270 E, 19/09/2013