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22/04/2010 11:22:17
Commission confirms plans for new Livestock Transport Rules
Plans to shake-up livestock transport regulations could have a serious impact on Scottish farmers, warns Scottish Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson.
Mr Stevenson’s caution comes in response to a letter from John Dalli, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, who confirmed that the law needs to be "updated in line with the latest scientific findings and to allow proper enforcement of specific requirements."
Yet, derogations for famers in remote areas of Scotland such as the Highlands and Islands which cannot comply with stringent eight hour maximum journey times would remain, he added.
Mr Dalli’s response was to Struan’s call for better enforcement of current regulations – introduced in January 2007 – to ensure a level-playing field with prosecution of those breaking the rules, rather than a whole set of new rules.
Scotland’s farmers observe the highest possible welfare standards and further legislative change would be another financial blow to the industry.
Commenting on the Commissioner’s letter, Struan Stevenson said:
"There is deep concern and frustration from farmers, hauliers and vets that while Scotland has vigorously implemented the existing regulations and Scottish hauliers have invested heavily in new, state-of-the-art trucks and floats, other EU Member States have not. Many are flagrantly breaching the rules, resulting in great cruelty and disastrous standards of animal welfare.
"I asked the new Commissioner to ensure a level-playing field with prosecution of those who break the rules, rather than a whole set of new regulations which will still be ignored by the defaulters, but would cause enormous cost and difficulties to Scotland’s farmers who observe the highest possible welfare standards already.
"This letter shows the Commission is still intent on rewriting the rules unnecessarily, but I will continue to oppose this. More red tape is not the answer – proper enforcement is."
Commissioner Dalli’s letter added that "it is a matter of priority to ensure uniform implementation of the existing legislation throughout the EU." To achieve this he says he intends to "explore the effect of navigation systems presently in place in ensuring proper enforcement of travelling times."
Struan said:
"This is clearly a response to recent Commission investigations in Spain and Italy which uncovered widespread falsification of records. In one case a driver’s records involving the transport of horses for slaughter being driven from Madrid to Southern Italy, indicated a journey time which would have necessitated an average speed of over 100 mph."
Commissioner Dalli concluded his letter by accepting Struan’s invitation to visit Scotland to meet key livestock hauliers and farmers.
Mr Stevenson’s caution comes in response to a letter from John Dalli, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, who confirmed that the law needs to be "updated in line with the latest scientific findings and to allow proper enforcement of specific requirements."
Yet, derogations for famers in remote areas of Scotland such as the Highlands and Islands which cannot comply with stringent eight hour maximum journey times would remain, he added.
Mr Dalli’s response was to Struan’s call for better enforcement of current regulations – introduced in January 2007 – to ensure a level-playing field with prosecution of those breaking the rules, rather than a whole set of new rules.
Scotland’s farmers observe the highest possible welfare standards and further legislative change would be another financial blow to the industry.
Commenting on the Commissioner’s letter, Struan Stevenson said:
"There is deep concern and frustration from farmers, hauliers and vets that while Scotland has vigorously implemented the existing regulations and Scottish hauliers have invested heavily in new, state-of-the-art trucks and floats, other EU Member States have not. Many are flagrantly breaching the rules, resulting in great cruelty and disastrous standards of animal welfare.
"I asked the new Commissioner to ensure a level-playing field with prosecution of those who break the rules, rather than a whole set of new regulations which will still be ignored by the defaulters, but would cause enormous cost and difficulties to Scotland’s farmers who observe the highest possible welfare standards already.
"This letter shows the Commission is still intent on rewriting the rules unnecessarily, but I will continue to oppose this. More red tape is not the answer – proper enforcement is."
Commissioner Dalli’s letter added that "it is a matter of priority to ensure uniform implementation of the existing legislation throughout the EU." To achieve this he says he intends to "explore the effect of navigation systems presently in place in ensuring proper enforcement of travelling times."
Struan said:
"This is clearly a response to recent Commission investigations in Spain and Italy which uncovered widespread falsification of records. In one case a driver’s records involving the transport of horses for slaughter being driven from Madrid to Southern Italy, indicated a journey time which would have necessitated an average speed of over 100 mph."
Commissioner Dalli concluded his letter by accepting Struan’s invitation to visit Scotland to meet key livestock hauliers and farmers.
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