Allister lambasts Transport consultation as Euro Meddling
07 August 2008
Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister has hit out at a European Commission consultation aimed at reviewing the current legislation on maximum travelling times and stocking densities for transporting animals. The consultation comes just 18 months after new legislation on animal transport was introduced.
The MEP said,
“One of the recommendations of this latest consultation is to establish a maximum travelling time of 8 hours for animals going to slaughter, which is not repeatable. If adopted, this could have enormous financial implications for the Northern Ireland livestock industry, which is heavily reliant on supplying the GB market.”
“We are told that scientific evidence is the reason behind the proposed introduction of even greater restrictions on time travelled, and stocking densities of animals being transported. These extremely onerous restrictions simply do not compare with the huge distances animals are frequently transported in North and South America, and will only serve to undermine the competitiveness of meat production in Europe.”
“I would draw the online consultation to the attention of the local livestock industry at: http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?userstate=prodhtml
ENDS
