Star Metro - Animal welfare transport law deadlocked in EU

The draft legislation sought to cap journey times for slaughter-bound animals at nine hours, increase space in transport vehicles, and mandate night-time travel during extreme heat.

But it has faced fierce opposition from several member states and the right wing of the European Parliament -- treading carefully around agricultural interests since protests over EU red tape swept the bloc last year.

"The situation is completely stuck. It's very, very, very frustrating," said Tilly Metz, a Green EU lawmaker from Luxembourg who sponsored the bill.

Metz believe the law is being blocked because it poses a "challenge to intensive farming practices" and said there is currently no timeline for moving forward.

But she vows she will not back down, citing strong public support for animal welfare across Europe.

Her co-sponsor, Romanian conservative Daniel Buda, advocated a more "targeted" update to the existing 2005 legislation, which he described as already "among the most advanced worldwide".

"Farmers' unions oppose the legislative proposal because farmers know the situation best -- they are the ones who actually implement the rules," he told AFP.

"I cannot be deaf and blind to this reality," he said.

Current EU rules permit livestock transport times of eight to 28 hours depending on species, with no mandatory pauses for pigs.

Temperatures inside trucks are allowed to range from five to 30 degrees Celsius, with a tolerance of five extra degrees.

Farmers argue the real issue lies with enforcement of existing laws.

French farming union FNSEA's vice-president Patrick Benezit said the existing regulation was "fairly well designed", pointing to a lack of checks.

- 'Out of touch' -

Benezit criticised Brussels' new proposals as "out of touch" -- invoking a contested argument that keeping animals tightly packed helps prevent injuries during sudden stops.

The commission's proposal is rooted in scientific advice from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which recommends shorter journeys, lower temperatures, and more space to improve animal health -- and in turn bolster food safety.

Animal welfare groups say the current legislation is outdated and riddled with gaps.

"Right now the space provided for animals in transport vehicles by road is very vague, and it's also very little," said Tea Dronjic, a veterinarian with the Animal Welfare Foundation.

She said that animals need enough space to spread their legs to maintain balance while trucks are moving.

Dronjic considered opposition to the new rules from member states "very worrying".

Her organisation recently carried out a mission to the Bulgaria-Turkey border, where NGOs have documented cases of animals trapped for days or weeks, bringing back footage of bloodied livestock and cows giving birth beside trucks.

Animal rights advocates are urging the EU to both tighten border checks and strengthen its internal rules.

Asked about the law's future, the European Commission said the decision lies with the bloc's lawmakers and member states -- with a progress update among EU capitals pencilled in for December.

"We of course hope they will be able to adopt soon," said a commission spokesperson.

K.Evans--SMC