Yesterday, Monday 26th April the Council of Ministers, meeting in Luxembourg, failed to reach a compromise agreement on improved welfare conditions for animals in transport within the EU.

Comments Jo White, Campaigns Manager at the ILPH (International League for the Protection of Horses), "We are bitterly disappointed and frustrated that improvements to the current conditions in which horses are transported into and across the EU for slaughter, will not now be introduced.

"This was an opportunity to improve the current situation where horses and donkeys suffer unnecessarily due to excessively long journeys and lack of rest periods with many journeys taking days to reach the slaughter house. This is a situation that can now only get worse with the imminent enlargement of the EU and the loss of border inspection posts."

The ILPH has been tirelessly lobbying since December 2000 when the European Commission's draft transportation review was first published.

Continues Jo White, "We have been actively campaigning for reforms to the current Directive, lobbying for the inclusion of limited journey times to be introduced and for an opt-out for the UK on the issue of live horse exports for slaughter. Until serious improvements, including restricted journey times and dramatically improved conditions are introduced, horses and donkeys transported to slaughter will continue to suffer."

The ILPH will be seeking talks with Defra and the European Commission to further discuss proposals for an opt-out for the UK on live horse exports for slaughter and the issue of enforcement of the current Directive within an enlarged EU.

www.ilph.org

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