EU: Tightening animal transport rules, new animal welfare commissioner pushes for acceleration

The new EU Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi from Hungary, is pushing for more stringent requirements for the transport of live farm animals, reports Agrarheute. Tightening to save reputation At a meeting on 10 December, the Commissioner recommended to the agriculture ministers of the member states that the Agriculture Council should agree on a common position by mid-2025 to review and amend the European regulation on animal transport. Várhelyi argued that the amendment to the EU regulation is necessary due to the increasing pressure from society on the authorities and breeders in the EU. At the same time, he assured that tightening the regulations will not only improve the reputation of breeders and the entire agricultural sector, but will also... increase the competitiveness of European animal production, because this is what consumers around the world expect. Ban on export for slaughter? However, the EU agriculture ministers have very divergent views ...