1. European Commission Health & Consumers Directorate General
Animal welfare approach in the European Union, Declaration of Brussels
Amsterdam, 30 November 2011
Andrea GAVINELLI
Animal Welfare Unit

2. Enforcement Group housing of sows and gilts : 1 January 2013
Providing adequate enrichment material
Avoiding routine tail-docking
Council Directive 2001/88/EC laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs

3. (cross border transport
28 million pigs
4,3 million cattle
4,3 million sheep
150 thousand horses
and
more than 1 billion
poultry
(cross border transport
in 2009)*
* Commission Report on the impact of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during Transport

4. Slaughter for intra Union trade and trade with Third Countries
Introduction of animal welfare indicators
Third Country equivalency
for intra Union trade and trade with Third Countries
Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing

5. European Declaration on alternatives to surgical castration of pigs
European Representatives of the pig sector commit to voluntarily stop surgical castration by 1 January 2018 provided certain tools are available such as harmonised methods at European Level to detect Boar Taint.
From 1 January 2012 surgical castration of pigs will be performed with prolonged analgesia and/or anesthesia.
The Declaration establishes a European Partnership on Pig Castration.

6. Objectives and activities as stated in the Declaration
Ensure the acceptance of products from not surgically castrated pigs by authorities and consumers in the EU but also in Third Countries
Agree on a common understanding of boar taint
Perform or coordinate research and development and achieve results
Develop information and training of farmers and other members of the whole pork chain
Do a Cost/benefit analysis on the consequences of the end of surgical castration (change in production costs, costs/benefits at the different levels, cost sharing plans)
Develop a list of traditional productions requiring heavier pigs
Publish an annual public report assessing the progress on the above actions including costs

7. European Declaration on alternatives to surgical castration of pigs
voluntary agreement to phase out surgical castration of pigs in Europe by 1 January 2018
COPA-COGECA
Eurogroup for Animals
UECBV (The European Livestock and Meat Trading Union)
CLITRAVI (Liaison Center for the Meat Processing Industry in the European Union)
FESASS (The European Federation for Animal Health and Sanitary Security)
EAAP (European Federation for Animal Science)
EFFAB (European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders)
FVE
Danish Agriculture and Food Council
DBV (German farmer association)
VDF (German meat industry association)
HDE (German retail association)
Scientific experts from INRA
COV (Dutch red meat slaughterhouses)
LTO Nederland (Dutch pig farmers organisation)
NVV (Dutch pig farmers organisation)
NBHV (Dutch livestock traders organisation)
ANAS (Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Suini) – Italy
DMRI (Danish Meat Research Institute)
OIVO - CRIOC (Centre de Recherche et d'Information des Organisations de Consommateurs)
FEFAC (European Feed Manufacturers' Federation)
CIWF (Compassion in World Farming)
The Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Republic of Ireland
Finnish Farm Animal Welfare Council
Galician Meat Technology Centre – Spain
Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals
PROVIEH VgtM e.V. – Germany
SCIENTIFIC EXPERT from IFIP - “Institut du porc en France"

8. Research Report on European Network of Centres of Reference
Research projects in animal welfare under the Framework Programmes:
FP6
Welfare Quality
PIGCAS
Cloning in public
Q-PorkChains – Ensuring quality of meat for the future
DIALREL
Several fish welfare projects
FP7
EconWelfare
European Animal Welfare Platform project
AWARE - Animal WelfAre Research in an enlarged Europe
AWIN – Animal Welfare Indicator project
SANCO pilot project: ALCASDE - Study on the improved methods for animal-friendly production, in particular on alternatives to the castration of pigs 8

9. EFSA Scientific Opinions on pig welfare
Welfare aspects of the castration of piglets (2004)
Effects of space allowances and floor types on the welfare of weaners and rearing pigs (2005)
Housing and husbandry of fattening pigs (2007)
Housing and husbandry systems for adult breeding boars, pregnant, farrowing sows and unweaned piglets (2007)
risks associated with tail biting in pigs and possible means to reduce the need for tail docking considering the different housing and husbandry systems (2007)
NEW:
Request for a scientific opinion concerning the use of animal-based measures to assess the welfare of pigs – December 2011 9

12. Something “new” is coming...
Future strategy on animal welfare
Need to reinforce existing tools
Enforcement (e.g. common methodology to address animal welfare risks)
Research
International cooperation
Communication and education 12

13. Future workshop
On pig castration planned for September 2012 13

14. Thank you 14