Memorandum by Royal Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)
1. The RSPCA welcomes this opportunity to
comment on the European Commission work programme for 2007. The
Commission, and the European Union as a whole, has done a lot
to improve the welfare of animals used in research or on farms
a great deal over recent years, and should be commended on that.
2. There are, though, few items in the proposed
2007 work programme that relate to issues around animal welfare,
and those that do are reviews of existing Directives, eg on Directive
86/609 which sets out the rules and regulations for using animals
in experiments.
3. One of the reasons for this is that in
March 2006, the Commission published the first ever Animal Welfare
Action Plan. This is a significant development for animal welfare,
as for the first time a strategy has been established for the
whole of the Commission to follow, rather than individual sections
working in isolation from others. It ensures animal welfare is
something taken into account by all departments and that a strategic
approach is taken.
4. We strongly welcome this plan, which
will cover the next four years, and hope it will continue beyond
that.
5. Given that, the contents of the work
programme is less of an issue for the RSPCA, as the Society will
be wanting to see the Commission apply the Animal Welfare Action
Plan across all it does.
6. The Commission, though, mentions in the
programme about reducing the amount of legislation it brings forward
and sensible regulation. Yet, it is now proposing a wide range
of further legislation, while legislation previously put forward
has yet to be seen through into law.
7. As an example, proposals for a Directive
to improve the welfare of chickens reared for meat—broiler
chickens—were published in May 2005, after three years of
work beforehand. As of the beginning of 2007, this Directive is
nowhere close to becoming law. The Society recognises that this
is because of intense negotiations in the Council of Ministers,
but nonetheless, the RSPCA is concerned that a new batch of proposals
are to be put forward while many others from 2006, 2005 and earlier
are yet to be implemented into law.
8. Thank you for the opportunity to comment
on the issues.
4 January 2007
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