SHEEP industry concerns about the future impact of the European Union’s animal welfare policies on meat and wool imports remain despite finalisation of the recent Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement. Sheep Producers Australia chief executive officer Bonnie Skinner has assured Sheep Central the animal welfare chapter of the FTA was dealt with some time ago, in previous negotiation rounds. “It was agreed that the EU and Australia undertake to cooperate bilaterally and internationally to promote the development and implementation of scientifically-based animal welfare standards,” she said. And WoolProducers Australia CEO Jo Hall said in her recent blog that “there is nothing in the A-EU FTA text, as summarised so far, that mandates alignment of animal welfare standards or provides the EU legal authority to impose such requirements on Australian wool.” However, the FTA text also says that the parties recognise that animals are sentient beings and that there is a connection between ...