1. Stopping Routine Tail Docking An EU policy perspective
Meeting On Actions to Prevent Tail Biting and Reduce Tail Dockings of Pigs
4-6 October 2016 Grange, Ireland
Denis SIMONIN
Head of Sector Animal Welfare G 2 Directorate General for Health and Food Safety

2. Legislation and recommendation
Since 2003 (Directive 2008/120/EC codified)
Provision of manipulable materials to all pigs is compulsory
Routine tail docking is forbidden
Since March 2016
Recommendation (EU) 2016/336
Staff working document SWD(2016)49 final

3. European Parliament
Petition 0336/2012 concerning the routine tail docking of piglets in Denmark(still open)
EP study in 2014 following the petition
Series of EP questions to Commission
Meeting with Commissioner March 2016

4. Study of the Parliament 2014 (1)
EFSA 2007 opinion
only 3 Member States have actually prohibited tail docking (FI, LT, SE)
FVO reports
6 Member States comply
5 without information
17 do not comply

5. Study of the Parliament 2014 (2)
Investigation by NGO
in 74 farms in 6 Member States
2013 in 45 farms in 6 Member States
Almost systematic noncompliance on routine tail docking (87 to 100%)
No systematic data collection on practical implementation

6. Complaints
3 complaints closed (2012/2013) on procedural grounds and the need to develop guidelines
3 open complaints from 2014
Recommendation now published
No good reason to close them

7. Conclusion We need an action plan towards full compliance with:
A common monitoring methodology
An overall benchmark of the today's situation
Measurable progress within 3 years

8. Thank you for your attention!