FVE’s activities in Animal Welfare

Brussels31 January 2008

Nancy De BriyneFVE DED

Trends in Animal WelfareAbout FVE & AWProducers & AW

Council of Europe versus European Union

European Union (EU)

-> legislation

Council of Europe (CoE)

-> soft laws

CoE against EU

• The Council of Europe – 47 MS – Aim: strengthening political, social, legal and cultural

cooperation and promoting human values throughout Europe. It’s Parliamentary Assembly consists of members of national parliaments.

• The European Union – 27 MS – Aim: to achieve economic and political integration.The

European Parliament is the parliamentary body of the EU. The European Commission is the Executive Organ of the EU.

Animal Welfare: Fields of Activity

– Protection of Animals kept for farming purposes (ETS 87 (‘76) – ETS 145 (‘92))

– Protection of Animals during international transport (ETS 065 (‘71) - 193 (‘03))

– Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes (ETS 123 (‘86) - ETS 170 (‘98))

– Protection of Pet Animals (ETS 125 (’87))– Protection of Animals for Slaughter (ETS

102 (’79))

http://www.coe.int/animalwelfare

e.g. all conventions, signatures and ratifications

CoE Website

Protocol on AW• Introduced with Treaty of Amsterdam

(signed on 2 October 1997)

“Desiring to ensure improved protection and respect for the welfare of animals as sentient beings,

in formulating and implementing the Community's agriculture, transport, internal market and research policies, the Community and the Member States shall pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals, while respecting the legislative or administrative provisions and customs of the Member States relating in particular to religious rites, cultural traditions and regional heritage. “

EU legislation AWEU Commission: mostly DG Health and Consumer Protection

(Sanco) & DG Environment (Envi)

EU legislation:– On the Farm (laying hens, calves, pigs)– Transport– At time of slaughter/killing– Experimental animals– Zoos, wild animals

Principle:

Community legislation concerning the welfare conditions of farm animals lays down minimum standards. National governments may adopt more stringent rules provided they are compatible with the provisions of the Treaty.

Main goals

• Upgrading existing minimum standards

• Promote AW research

• Introducing standardised animal welfare indicators

• Point out duties animal keepers/ general public

• Support/initiate international initiatives

AW Globally

– Created in 1924 by 28 Member countries– New name: world organisation for animal health with

169 Member Countries– Initial mandate: transparency in the worldwide animal

health situation based on science– Mandate extended when OIE was recognised by the

WTO as the Reference organisation for guaranteeing the sanitary safety of world trade in animals and animal products while avoiding unjustified sanitary barriers.

– Network of 150 reference labos– New mandate: To provide a better guarantee of the

safety of food of animal origin and to promote animal welfare through a science-based approach

• Working group on Animal Welfare– Created in 2002– Several ad hoc groups – First Global Conference on Animal Welfare

(Febr 2004) – OIE AW standards adopted on:

• Land transport• Sea transport• Killing for disease control• Slaughter for human consumption

– Future: Fish, stray animal control, ..

FVE &

Animal Welfare

FVE is a Federation of42 veterinary organisationsin 37 European countries

Through its members, FVE represents approximately 200 000 veterinarians

AustriaBelgiumBosnia &

HerzegovinaBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceFYR of MacedoniaGermanyGreece

HungaryIcelandIrelandItalyLatviaLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaNetherlandsNorwayPolandPortugal Romania

Serbia/MontenegroSlovak RepublicSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTurkeyUnited KingdomAlbaniaUkraine

•

•

FVE unites the veterinary profession for the benefit

of animal health, animal welfare and public health.

One profession, one vision, one voice

FVE’ main areas of activity

• Animal welfare• Animal health• Veterinary public health• Exercise of the veterinary profession• Veterinary education (pre and post

graduate)

Animal welfare – the role of FVE

• to promote effective strategies for improving animal welfare on farm, in transit and at slaughter

• to represent the views of the veterinary profession to legislators in the EU and individual member countries

• to strengthen the position of animal welfare in veterinary curricula and CPD

• to increase the awareness of individual veterinarians to their responsibility for animal welfare

Animal welfare – the role of FVE

• Member of several EU wide AW projects such as: – Welfare Quality (member advisory

board)– PIGCAS (pig castration)– DIALREL (dialogue on religious

slaughter)– …

•raise awareness & responsibility of vet•AW in veterinary education• promote AW in a practical way

Animal welfare

Creating a position paper is a long process

General Assembly

Ad hoc working group

Draft position paper

General Assembly

Broiler Welfare (FVE/05/004)

Slaughter without prior stunning (FVE/02/104)

Castration of pigs (FVE/01/083)

FVE has various Animal Welfare Position papers

• Transport of live animals (FVE/01/043 + FVE/03/122 )

• Genetic modifications in Animals (FVE/01/044) • Surgery for cosmetic and other non-curative

purposes (FVE/00/066) • Dangerous dogs (FVE/00/044)• Breeding and Animal Welfare (FVE/99/010) • Hot branding of horses (FVE/99/010)

FVE advises/cooperates… on AW

• Long-standing observer to the Council of Europe committees on animal welfare:

– GT65 transport– ETS123 laboratory animals– TAP farming animals

• Member of the Advisory Group on the Food Chain and Animal and Plant Health of DG Sanco

– Member of technical committees of the AGFCAPH such as slaughter, transport, …

• Consulted as stakeholder in animal welfare issues by the European Commission

• Provides input for animal welfare issues to OIE and EFSA• Regular contacts with other AW organisations such as

Eurogroup, RSPCA, CIWF, ILPH, 4Pfoten, etc...