EU rules on the protection of animals during transport

KEY POINTS

The regulation sets out the following general requirements for the transport of animals.

• No person shall transport animals or cause animals to be transported in a way likely to cause injury or undue suffering to them.
• Transport arrangements must be made in advance to minimise the length of the journey and meet the animals’ needs.
• The animals must be fit for transport.
• The means of transport and loading and unloading facilities must be designed, constructed, maintained and operated so as to avoid injury and suffering and ensure the animals’ safety.
• Personnel handling animals must have received adequate training and be competent.
• Transportation to the destination must take place without delay and involve regular checks on the animals’ welfare.
• Sufficient height and floor space must be available for the animals.
• Water, feed and rest must be provided when needed.
• Transporters must:
  • have authorisation from the relevant national authority for all journeys over 65 km;
  • provide documentation containing details such as the animals’ origin and owner, their destination and the expected journey time;
  • ensure that an attendant accompanies the animals, unless they are transported in adequate containers with sufficient feed and water.
• Competent authorities must inspect and approve means of transport for animals by road and sea for long journeys before these may be used.
• Keepers of animals and operators of assembly centres (holdings, collection centres and markets) must ensure that the rules and welfare standards are followed at the various points of departure, transfer and destination.
• Competent authorities must certify that transporters:
  • are based in a Member State;
  • have sufficient and appropriate staff, equipment and operational procedures in place;
  • have no record of serious breaches of EU or national animal protection rules during the previous 3 years.
• For long journeys between Member States and to destinations outside the EU:
  • transporters must have the necessary authorisation, documentation, satellite navigation system and contingency plans for emergencies;
  • competent authorities must carry out checks on a random basis during the journey and checks at the point of departure.
• In the event of an emergency or failure to apply the welfare rules, national authorities can insist that the transporter take the necessary actions to safeguard the welfare of the animals being transported, such as:
  • changing the driver or attendant;
  • making a temporary repair to the means of transport;
  • transferring the consignment to another vehicle;
  • returning the animals to their point of departure;
  • unloading the animals and holding them in suitable temporary accommodation.

Amending Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on enforcing EU rules for the agri-food chain (see summary) introduced some minor amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1/2005. It removed all of the rules relating to official controls from Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.

The European Commission adopted an implementing act, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/372, which, in relation to Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, lays down rules on recording official controls on livestock vessels, the content of contingency plans that transporters must submit when intending to transport animals by sea, the approval of livestock vessels and the minimum requirements to be met by exit points at sea ports.