FVE’s activities in Animal Welfare Brussels 31 January 2008 Nancy De Briyne FVE DED

 Trends in Animal Welfare  About FVE & AW  Producers & 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) (‘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))

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 AW EU 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 of 42 veterinary organisations in 37 European countries Through its members, FVE represents approximately veterinarians

Austria Belgium Bosnia & Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France FYR of Macedonia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Serbia/Montenegro Slovak Republic Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom Albania Ukraine

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...