8/14/2019 Vote Cruelty Free EU - Manifiesto
1/6
Vote Cruelty Free is a new,
non-partisan coalition o non-governmental organisations
working together to ensure the
political process reects public
concern or animal protection.
Its members are the BUAV,Compassion in World Farming,International Fund for AnimalWelfare (IFAW), League AgainstCruel Sports and Respect forAnimals.
Vote Cruelty Free covers a broad
range of animal welfare issuesincluding wild and marine animals,animal experiments, cruel sports,the fur trade and farming.
Vote Cruelty Free believes bringingthe animal protection movementtogether and working directly withcandidates and elected ofcials is
an effective way to achieve positivechange for animals in the politicalarena.
Wat i VoTE CruELTy rEE?
www.vteceltee.g
EuropeanElections
2009
8/14/2019 Vote Cruelty Free EU - Manifiesto
2/6
Statement o principle
The last decade has seen a steady growth in
public concern about arm animal welare.
As a result, signicant improvements have been
achieved. The veal crate has been prohibited in theEU since 2007. Battery cages will be prohibited EU-wide from 2012. Sow stalls have been banned inthe UK since 1999 and will be prohibited throughoutthe EU from 2013. Despite this progress, majorreforms in farming are urgently needed. The majorityof pigs, chickens and turkeys continue to befarmed industrially. Vote Cruelty Free believes that
animals should not be considered objects for ourconvenience, and we want to ensure that all animalsreared for food are treated humanely.
Commitments sought
rom European Parliament:
The export of animals for slaughter or fatteningshould be brought to an endEnriched cages for egg laying hens should beprohibitedEU legislation must be enforced requiring pigsto be provided with enrichment materials andprohibiting routine tail dockingAnimal welfare should be seen as one of thecore objectives of EU food policy.
amAimalWelae
CIWF
CIWF
Aimal
Exeimetati
Statement o Principle
Vote Cruelty Free calls on theEuropean Parliament to phase outthe use of animals in experiments.
12 million animals are used inexperiments throughout the EuropeanUnion every year.
EU legislation on the protection ofanimals in experiments (Directive86/609/EEC) is currently underrevision. This is the best chanceto reect the views of European
citizens. It is also the best opportunityto provide citizens with a full andundistorted picture of what animalresearch really means.
Commitments sought rom
European Parliament:
The creation of a European Centre for non animal researchPrinciples of transparency,accountability and stakeholderscrutiny should be enshrined inlaw
An immediate ban on experimentscausing a high level of sufferingA ban on the use of Non HumanPrimates in researchA exible legislative framework to
take into account public concernand advances in the developmentof alternative methods.
BUAV
BUAV
8/14/2019 Vote Cruelty Free EU - Manifiesto
3/6
sealCommercial seal hunting
Statement o principle
Vote Cruelty Free is opposed to the commercial hunting
o seals, which is primarily or their ur, because o thecruelty involved, the unsustainable nature o the hunts,
and the additional threat that global warming poses to
seal populations.
Commercial seal hunts take place in Canada, Greenland,Namibia, Norway and Russia; with Canadas commercialseal hunt being by far the largest marine mammal hunt in theworld. In the last ve years over 1.5 million seals have been
killed in Canada. This years quota was set at 280,000, anincrease on the previous year.
Every veterinary report on the Canadian commercial sealhunt demonstrates unacceptable levels of cruelty. Scientistspredict that at current levels Canadas commercial seal huntrisks reducing the harp seal population by 70% in the next15 years.
This cruelty has led the USA, Mexico, Croatia, Belgiumand the Netherlands to put in place total bans in the tradein commercial seal products, with the Czech Republic,Germany and Austria also considering national bans. Russiaalso banned the hunt of all harp seals less than one year oldin March 2009. This decision heralds the ultimate end of thehunt in the northern White Sea region.
Vote Cruelty Free remains convinced that commercial sealhunts are inherently inhumane as evidenced by veterinary,media and eyewitness reports, along with a study conductedby the European Food Standards Agency on behalf of theCommission.
Vote Cruelty Free wants to see an end to commercial sealhunting and markets for those products to be shut downworldwide.
Commitments sought rom European
Parliament:
Support and enforce a complete ban on the commercialtrade and importation into the EU of seal products withan exemption only forproducts from Inuit huntsRenew diplomatic effortswith Canada, Norway,Denmark (Greenland),Russia and Namibia to seekan end to cruel commercialseal hunts and the trade
in seal products in thesehuntsPromote the ban incommercial seal productswith like-minded countries.
Bllfgtig
Public opinion in Europe shows a strong and
growing opposition to bullfghting.
Whilst 67% of Spaniards are not interested inbullghting (Gallup poll, September 2008), 89% of
British citizens would never visit a bullght (ComRespoll, April 2008).
Recent press articlessuggest that the EUstill gives subsidiesto the Spanishbullghting industry
worth 30m annually.It is unacceptable thattax payers moneyis used to subsidise
bullghting whichis illegal in mostEuropean countries.
The European Commission admits that money isstill paid but is not able or not willing to conrm the
amount. It also argues bullghting is for national
governments to deal with. This argument is, however,awed as all EU tax payers contribute to the
subsidies to bull breeders and it should matter to allEU governments and Brussels.
MEPs represent the European people who stronglyoppose bullghting and would not like to see their
taxes used to articially keep this barbarity alive.
Commitments sought rom European Parliament:
Initiate debate about bullghting subsidies and
demand an immediate end of all these subsidiesEnsure transparency on the matter of subsidiesfor bull breeders and urge the Commissionto publicise details of all money given to thebullghting industry, directly or indirectly through
agricultural funds.
IFAW
League Against Cruel Sports
League Against Cruel Sports
8/14/2019 Vote Cruelty Free EU - Manifiesto
4/6
Respect for Animals
WaligStatement o principle
Vote Cruelty Free calls or an
end to commercial whaling, a
practice which has driven many
whale populations to the brink o
extinction. Despite an international
ban on commercial whalingadopted by the International
Whaling Commission (IWC)
in 1986 Japan, Norway and
Iceland continue this cruel and
unnecessary activity.
Whaling is inherently cruel - there isno humane way to kill a whale andthey can take up to half an hour todie. Commercial whaling resultsin products nobody needs with
hundreds of tons of unsold meatstockpiled in whaling countries.
Whaling also presents seriousconservation concerns; manypopulations have yet to recoverfrom previous intensive whaling.With whales facing more threatstoday than ever before, they arein desperate need of internationalprotection.
Commitments sought romEuropean Parliament
Take steps to ensure theeffectiveness of the moratoriumon commercial whaling at
the International WhalingCommission (IWC) and opposeany proposals that might allowcommercial whaling despitethe moratorium, such as thoseto legitimise Japans coastalwhalingChallenge commercial whalingconducted by Iceland andNorway at the IWC and so-calledscientic whaling conducted by
JapanRenew high-level diplomaticefforts to counteract unduepressure from Japan to inuence
the votes of sovereign statesat the IWC and ensure aneffective international regulatoryframework for the conservationof whalesUrge EU Member States andthe Commission to ensure the
EU takes a strong commonposition at the IWC against anyproposal (or deal) which mayundermine the maintenance ofthe moratorium on whaling atfuture IWC meetings.
Statement o Principle
Vote Cruelty Free oppose the
commercial use o real animal ur.
A clear majority of people in Europeare against the trapping and factoryfarming of animals for their fur. The
oceanie
plltiStatement o PrincipleVote Cruelty Free welcomes the
adoption o the Marine Strategy
Framework Directive and the
act that it explicitly recognises
ocean noise as a pollutant.
Sound is extremely important tomany marine animals, particularlycetaceans (whales, dolphins
and porpoises) who use it forcommunicating, navigating,nding food and detecting
mates and predators.
Sources of man-made ocean noiseinclude commercial shipping,military sonar, seismic surveys foroil and gas exploration, constructionand recreational activities. Suchnoise can be extremely harmful tocetaceans and in extreme cases
can cause them to strand and die.Measures to regulate these harmfuleffects are needed urgently.
The Marine Strategy FrameworkDirective sets up the generalframework for controlling noisein EU waters, but doesnt specifywhat measures need to be adoptedand it is up to each individualMember State to develop nationalmarine strategies by 2015 includingimpact assessments, to achieve
Good Environmental Status.
With so many aspects left to thediscretion of Member States, VoteCruelty Free fears that the Directivecould be seriously watered downin the implementation phase.
Commitments sought rom
European Parliament
UK MEPs need to urge the
UK government to take aleading role in the rigorousimplementation of the MarineStrategy Framework Directiveand to ensure that ocean noisepollution is properly regulated.
IFAW
SECAC
steel-jawed leghold trap commonlyused by fur trappers is bannedthroughout the EU yet countries stillimport furs from places where its useis widespread.
Commitments sought rom
European Parliament:
A ban on fur factory farmingIn the interim:
A ban on the import and tradein fur skins, garments and otheritemsThe introduction of an EU widelabelling scheme for all garmentsmade of or trimmed with furregardless of cost or the speciesof the animal used.
8/14/2019 Vote Cruelty Free EU - Manifiesto
5/6
This publication lists a series of policies which theEuropean Parliament should either enact or where anissue transcends its boundaries, actively promote. It isnot designed to be a comprehensive list of all animalprotection issues but represents key issues identied by
the organisations involved. Not all organisations involvedin Vote Cruelty Free work on every issue; please checkthe website for further information. Even if all the policiesin this manifesto were implemented, it would still leavelarge areas of animal exploitation to be addressed.
The manifesto is not directed to any particular politicalparty. We encourage all parties and candidates to adopt it.
We believe that it represents what the majority of the
Gvemet adAdmiitati
Statement
o Principle
Vote Cruelty Freebelieves thatincreased animalprotection shouldbe an integral part
of making policyat international,national and locallevel. It should nothave to compete with other interests but should be alegitimate goal in its own right. The European Parliamenthas a key role to play in the promotion of this.
Commitments sought rom
European Parliament:
The appointment of a Commissioner for Animal Welfare with an overallresponsibility for all animal issuesEstablishment of an independent inspectorateanswerable to the Commissioner withadequate enforcement powersRigorous, enforceable EU animalwelfare standards for all animalsThe European Parliament to support aUniversal Declaration for Animal Welfareunder the auspices of the UN.
Statement o principle
Vote Cruelty Free calls on
the European Parliament
to protect endangered
species rom illegal trade.
The illegal trade in wildlifeis estimated at over $20billion annually and issecond only to that of illicitdrugs and arms. It is cruel and unnecessary and iswiping out endangered species including elephants,big cats, bears, rhinos, sharks and turtles. The EU isone of the largest consumers of wildlife products.
The illegal ivory trade is on the increase,
despite an international ban, with over 20,000elephants killed each year for their tusks.
The emerging internet trade in wildlife poses anadded threat to many threatened species, includingelephants. We hope that eBays decision to ban ivory willencourage other internet market providers to follow suit.
Commitments sought rom
European Parliament:
Financially support real conservation
efforts in range states and provide supportto the African Elephant CoalitionMonitor the effects of the 2008 CITES-approvedstockpile sales on elephant populationsDevote sufcient resources to enforcing wildlife
trade legislation and tackling illegal ivory trade,including the illegal trade in wildlife over the internetUrge EU Member States and the Commissionto ensure the EU takes a strong position infavour of real elephant conservation andagainst any ivory trade at the 15th CITESConference of the Parties in January 2010.
Wildlie Tade
IFAW
British public would like to see and is achievable withinthe lifetime of the next European Parliament.
The manifesto sets a key position of principle for eachissue, then lists the action the next Parliament will needto take to ensure these goals are achieved.
This document is being sent to the ProspectiveEuropean Parliamentary Candidates of all the mainpolitical parties in the UK. We will be calling on them to
show their support for the manifesto by registering onthe Vote Cruelty Free website. We will also be askingcandidates to produce position statements on specic
issues. We hope this will allow voters to make aninformed choice when they head to the ballot box.
Te maiet
8/14/2019 Vote Cruelty Free EU - Manifiesto
6/6
ThAnk you or your supporT!
Ctact Vte Celt ee:
B email //
B telee //
020 7619 6970
B t //Vote Cruelty Free16a Crane GroveLondonN7 8NN
Webite//
www.votecrueltyfree.org
GET ACTIVEWhAT you CAn Do To hELp
Show your support for Vote Cruelty Free by:
regiteig your support for this manifesto bycontacting [email protected] or 020 7619 6970
Witig a tatemet to show your positionon each of the issues covered by the manifesto.Position statement forms can be downloaded fromwww.votecrueltyfree.org and will be displayed onthe website
Gettig te membe of your party to showtheir support for Vote Cruelty Free
raiig te ie in the manifesto with therelevant spokespeople in your party
Ctactig Vte Celt ee about media
opportunities.
To nd out more about any of the issues raised
in this document, or to get more involved, pleasevisit www.votecrueltyfree.org
Top Related