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Health & Consumers

Directorate General

L’evoluzione normativa della tematica L’evoluzione normativa della tematica

in Europa: quali attenzioni in Europa: quali attenzioni

all’applicabilità e alla sostenibilità all’applicabilità e alla sostenibilità

per il settore

per il settore zootecnico? zootecnico?

Maria Ferrara

Animal Welfare Unit

Maria.Ferrara@ec.europa.eu

The Treaty on the Functioning of the The Treaty on the Functioning of the

EU – 1.12.2009 EU – 1.12.2009

Article 13

“In formulating and implementing the Union's

agriculture, fisheries, transport, internal

market, research and technological

development and space policies, the Union and

the Member States shall, since animals are

sentient beings, pay full regard to the

requirements of animal welfare, while

respecting the legislative or administrative

provisions and customs of Member States

relating in particular to religious rites, cultural

traditions and regional heritage.”

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The development of EU policies on AW

First EU AW legislation adopted in 1974

EC Treaty Protocol enters into force 1999: pay ‘‘full regard’’ to the welfare of animals as ‘‘sentient beings’’

White Paper on Food Safety: full integration of AW into EU food chain policy, ‘‘farm to fork approach’’

Review Sustainable Development Strategy 2005 OIE guidelines 2005

The Community Action Plan on the protection and welfare of animals 2006-2010

The New Animal Health Strategy (2007-2013) -”Prevention is better then cure”

Lisbon Treaty: legal qualification of animals as sentient

beings

35 years of policy initiatives ^(to

integrate with other dgs)

1974 / 1993 / 2008* Stunning and Killing 1977/1995 / 2005 Transport

1986 / 2008* Animal in experiments

1988 / 1999 Laying Hens

1991 / 1997 / 2001 Calves – Pigs welfare at farm

1998 General farm animal protection Directive 1999 Treaty Protocol

2006 Community Action Plan

2007 Ban on trade in cat and dog fur

2007 Council Directive on broiler chickens 2008* Regulation concerning the trade in

seal products

1 December 2009 TREATY OF LISBON

*: Proposal for a Council Regulation is adopted by the Commission

Increasing demand for policies responding to a more responsible approach to animals.

Human-animal

relationship values

associated with consumers expectation

Opportunity for a

transparent information to consumers

International partnership and collaboration between actors in the food chain

backed-up by science

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Economic implications of ensuring animal welfare

In 2006, the European animal industry produced output valued at € 130 billion

Animal welfare is an important part of the movement towards sustainable farming.

Higher production costs can be offset by the reduced incidence of disease higher yields

better product quality resulting from improved standards of animal welfare.

Promoting higher standards of animal welfare is a business opportunity.

European retailers are already using animal welfare in their advertising and promotion to differentiate themselves from competitors.

Producers who maintain high standards have a competitive advantage.

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The Community Action Plan The Community Action Plan

on the Protection and Welfare of Animals on the Protection and Welfare of Animals (2006 – 2010)

(2006 – 2010)

 Upgrading existing minimum standards for animal protection and welfare

 Giving a high priority to promoting policy-orientated future research

 Continue to support and initiate further international initiatives to raise

awareness and create a greater consensus on animal welfare

 Introducing

standardised Animal welfare indicators

 Education and

knowledge transfer for

all involved and for the

general public

Main aspects integrated in the Main aspects integrated in the

AW legislation AW legislation

1. The

animal

3. Society: duty of care 4. Policy support: capacity building

2. Technology, research and innovation

1. The animal

Priority to Research

Report on European Network of Centres of Reference

Several EFSA opinions published (dairy cows, pigs, fish, broilers, etc.) Research projects in animal welfare under the Framework

Programmes:

FP6: Welfare Quality

PIGCAS –

LAYWEL –

Cloning in public –

Q-PorkChains –

DIALREL –

Fish welfare projects –

FP7 EconWelfare –

European Animal Welfare Platform –

Several fish welfare projects -

• Assessing the socio-economic consequences and costs benefits of measures promoting good

animal welfare (CSA)

ECONWELFARE – Good animal welfare in socio-economic

context

Establishment of an information platform on the protection and welfare of animals (CSA)

EAWP – European Animal Welfare Platform: adding welfare quality to food

Socio-economic research Socio-economic research and support to policies and support to policies

FP7-KBBE-2007-1

Towards a

Towards a risk risk assessment assessment methodology methodology for animal welfare for animal welfare

ROLE OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE and RISK ROLE OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE and RISK

ASSESSMENT IN ANIMAL WELFARE ASSESSMENT IN ANIMAL WELFARE

While accepting that AW is all about the animal, protecting animals involves some form of input from society, or society as represented by governments, to weigh different aspects and interests of different groups.

All these aspects have to be considered and pondered by risk managers when addressing identified welfare risks.

The integration of ethics, consumers’ concern and risk assessment into risk management in the animal welfare field requires therefore resources combined together in an innovative way.

Future challenges: citizens and markets!

Good welfare standards = good quality standards

The lack of information and availability of welfare

friendly products - the main barrier to purchasing ‘animal- friendly’ products.

Policy options:

Creating a uniform labelling system,

“Standardisation" of the instruments to assess animal welfare

Public information campaigns to assist consumers in their purchasing decisions.

An informed citizen = a responsible consumer

C ommission Report on AW labelling (October 2009)

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The overall goal of policy is to make it easier for consumers to identify and choose welfare-friendly products, and thereby give an economic incentive to producers to improve the welfare of animals.

Creation of a European Network of Reference Centers

for the protection and welfare of animals.

Strategic trends affecting Common Agricultural Policies

CAP has gradually moved from a production-based structure of subsidies to a market-oriented system, integrating standards for food safety, environment and biodiversity as well as animal welfare.

DATA FROM EUROBAROMETER ON THE PERCEPTIONS CITIZENS (march 2010):

An overwhelming majority of respondents (85% or more) are

supportive of new objectives for agriculture and rural development, which include:

To preserve the countryside (93%)

To help farmers to face the consequences of climate change (89%);

To link financial support farmers get with the compliance to certain rules regarding environmental protection, food safety and animal welfare (87%);

• To encourage farmers to produce what markets demand (85%).

Impacts of livestock farming:

future solutions for animals, people and the planet.

Climate change mitigation in agriculture should be pursued as part of an

integrated approach to sustainable

agriculture to limit conflicts with other economic, environmental and social objectives (…)

• Commission working document: The role of European

agriculture in climate change mitigation. 23.7.2009

Workshop on pig castration, Brussels, 2 June 2010

Bilateral agreements and cooperation initiatives (Chile, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.)

World Animal Health Organisation OIE: first international standards – Regional implementation strategies under development

International Dairy Federation – Animal Welfare Seminar

International Wool and Textile Organization: Seminar on Environment and Animal Welfare

International awareness and International awareness and

transparency towards sustainability

transparency towards sustainability

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 Animal welfare as an added value to trade and as an

opportunity to improve animal production both for developed and developing countries.

 Improved animal welfare makes perfect sense for trade, not just from an ethical point of view, but also from a socio-economic

perspective.

The global trade perspective:

FAO Expert Meeting on capacity building to implement good animal welfare practices

FAO Headquarters (Rome) 30 September – 3 October 2008

“ Animal welfare should not be treated as a stand-alone issue but as one among many socially important goals including food safety and security, human and animal health, environmental sustainability,

worker safety, rural development, gender equality, and social justice ”

FAO Gateway to Farm Animal Welfare http://

www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/animal

-welfare/en/

Business Opportunities Through Improved Animal Welfare

International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group): Preparation of a Good Practice Note:

Creating Business Opportunity Through Improved Animal Welfare:

`Good standards of animal welfare are considered as a prerequisite for sustainable agricultural production which create opportunities for trade worldwide’

Raising knowledge on AW creates opportunities for trade, within the EU and worldwide

Animal welfare: A possible contribution to Sustainable Development

Working towards international

awareness on animal welfare

Objectives:

The key aims are to give citizens more information about educational tools and programs on animal welfare, and to raise awareness about how important it is to educate citizens, farmers, professional animal carers, handlers, slaughterhouse operators, retailers and other stakeholders about how animals should be treated.

The conference will also help create a network at European and international level between educational institutions that are active in animal welfare, and to develop a harmonised

concept of animal welfare education that everyone involved can use.

Prize awarding ceremony concluding the Animal welfare

drawing contest for children – organised during the second day of the conference

Everybody is responsible

1- 2 October 2010, Brussels

1st International Conference on

Animal Welfare Education

The way forward….

EVALUATION OF THE COMMUNITY POLICY ON ANIMAL WELFARE AND POSSIBLE POLICY OPTIONS

EU AW STRATEGY 2011-2015 ANIMAL WELFARE LAW

INTEGRATION OF ANIMAL WELFARE POLICIES INTO THE SUSTAINABLE AGENDA