report parliamentary committee draft, 3 March 2025
On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of animals during transport and related operations, amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005
Document CJ48-PR-770070 · (COM(2023)0770 – C90446/2023 – 2023/0448(COD))
Committee on Transport and Tourism Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development · Rapporteur: Tilly Metz, Daniel Buda
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Draft european parliament legislative resolution 113 paragraphs
(COM(2023)0770 – C90446/2023 – 2023/0448(COD))
(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)
The European Parliament,
–having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2023)0770),
–having regard to Article 294(2) and Articles 43(2) and 114(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C90446/2023),
–having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
–having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 31 May 2024,
–having regard to Rule 60 of its Rules of Procedure,
–having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Fisheries,
–having regard to the report of the Committee on Transport and Tourism and the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (A100000/2025),
1.Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;
2.Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal,
Read the rest (101 paragraphs)
3.Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.
Amendment 1
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point a
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (a) all necessary arrangements have been made in advance to minimise the duration of the journey so that the most common animal welfare hazards, including suffering from hunger, thirst, fatigue, injuries or thermal discomfort are minimised; | (a) all necessary arrangements have been made in advance to minimise the duration of the journey so that the most common terrestrial animal welfare hazards, including suffering from hunger, thirst, fatigue, injuries or thermal discomfort are minimised; |
Or. en
Amendment 2
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point i
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (i) water, feed and rest are offered to animals at regular intervals during the journey and are appropriate in quality and quantity to the animal’s species and their physiological needs; | (i) water, feed and rest are offered to animals at regular intervals during the journey and are appropriate in quality and quantity to the terrestrial animal’s species and their physiological needs and taking into consideration hygiene rules; |
Or. en
Amendment 3
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point j
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (j) aquatic animals are provided with water in sufficient volume and quality. | (j) aquatic animals are provided with adequate transport conditions, water in sufficient volume and quality, and species-specific temperature and oxygen levels. |
Or. en
Amendment 4
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) the transporter has sufficient and appropriate staff and equipment and has written instructions for staff as regards watering, feeding and care of animals and operational procedures in place to enable its staff to comply with this Regulation; | (b) the transporter has sufficient and appropriate staff and equipment and has written instructions in wording that is easily understandable for staff as regards watering, feeding and care of animals and operational procedures in place to enable its staff to comply with this Regulation; |
Or. en
Amendment 5
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. Where the journey log concerns a long journey or a short journey to a third country, the organiser shall submit in TRACES the journey log for approval by the competent authority at the place of departure at least 2 days, but not earlier than 5 days, before the planned departure date. The journey cannot start before the competent authority has approved the journey log in accordance with paragraph 4. | 2. Where the journey log concerns a long journey or a short journey to a third country, the organiser shall submit in TRACES the journey log for approval by the competent authority at the place of departure at least 2 days, but not earlier than 5 days, before the planned departure date. The journey cannot start before the competent authority has approved the journey log in accordance with paragraph 4. The competent authority shall submit a response within 48 hours after receiving the approval request from the organiser. |
Or. en
Amendment 6
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Keepers at the place of departure shall be responsible for ensuring that the animals to be loaded on the means of transport are fit for transport. | Keepers at the place of departure shall be responsible for ensuring that the animals to be loaded on the means of transport are fit for transport and have been provided with feed and water before the point of loading, as appropriate. |
Or. en
Amendment 7
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 2 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2a. If the person supervising the loading of animals notices that animals are not fit for transport, those animals shall remain at the place of departure and shall be provided with adequate care. Necessary amendments shall be made to the journey log. |
Or. en
Amendment 8
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 2 b (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2b. The keeper at the place of departure and the driver shall record in TRACES the date and time of departure of the animals and their condition, by completing and signing section 2 of the journey log set out in point 1 of Annex III. |
Or. en
Amendment 9
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – title
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Obligations for keepers at assembly centres, control posts and places of destination | Obligations for animal keepers at assembly centres, control posts and places of destination |
Or. en
Amendment 10
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 2
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. Keepers at assembly centres or at control posts shall record the condition in which the animals have arrived and shall complete and sign in TRACES section 3 of the journey log as set out in point 1 of Annex III. | 2. Animal keepers at assembly centres or at control posts shall record the condition in which the animals have arrived and shall complete and sign in TRACES section 3 of the journey log as set out in point 1 of Annex III. |
Or. en
Amendment 11
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. Means of transport by road shall be equipped with a positioning system communicating with the information system referred to in paragraph 3 based on the technical requirements referred to in paragraph 8. | 1. All means of transport by road and sea shall be equipped with a positioning system communicating with the information system referred to in paragraph 3 based on the technical requirements referred to in paragraph 8. |
Or. en
Amendment 12
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 3
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. The records obtained from the positioning systems of the means of transport shall be kept in an information system accessible to TRACES, established by the Commission in accordance with paragraph 7. | 3. The records obtained from the positioning systems of the means of transport shall be kept in an information system accessible to TRACES, established by the Commission in accordance with paragraph 7. That system shall ensure that the information is safeguarded in full compliance with the applicable Union regulation on data protection, notably Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council1a. |
| 1a Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj). |
Or. en
Amendment 13
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 4 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4a. After the completion of the journey, organisers shall provide an explanation if the journey has deviated from the points of locations referred to in paragraph 4 in TRACES. |
Or. en
Amendment 14
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 4 b (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4b. The information system shall automatically notify the competent authority if there has been a deviation from the point of location referred to in paragraph 4. |
Or. en
Amendment 15
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 3 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3a. If the person supervising the unloading of the animals notices any animals in poor health, such animals shall be given suitable treatment immediately, and it shall be fully reported in the journey log. |
Or. en
Amendment 16
Proposal for a regulation
Article 34 – paragraph 3
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. The Commission shall approve, by means of implementing acts in accordance with Article 49, a list of control posts meeting standards that are equivalent to those laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1255/97. This list shall be made available in TRACES. | 3. The Commission shall approve, by means of implementing acts in accordance with Article 49, a list of control posts that meet standards that are equivalent to those laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1255/97. That list shall be communicated to the Member States and made available in TRACES before ... [the date of application of this Regulation]. |
Or. en
Amendment 17
Proposal for a regulation
Article 34 – paragraph 4
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4. The Commission shall remove a control post from the list referred to in paragraph 3 when, upon evaluation by the certification body or an audit from the Commission, there is evidence that the control post no longer meets standards equivalent to those laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1255/97. The procedure referred to in Article 49 shall apply. | 4. The Commission shall remove a control post from the list referred to in paragraph 3 when, upon evaluation by the certification body or an audit from the Commission, there is evidence that the control post no longer meets standards equivalent to those laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1255/97. The procedure referred to in Article 49 shall apply. The removal of a control point shall be communicated to the Member States and the list of control points shall be updated in TRACES without undue delay. |
Or. en
Amendment 18
Proposal for a regulation
Article 37 – paragraph 1 – point a
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (a) ensuring that training courses are available for drivers, attendants and animal welfare officers involved in the transport of animals relevant to species and the categories of animals concerned; | (a) ensuring that initial and periodic training courses are available for drivers, attendants and animal welfare officers involved in the transport of animals relevant to species and the categories of animals concerned; |
Or. en
Amendment 19
Proposal for a regulation
Article 53 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. By [5 years from the date of entry into force of this Regulation], the Commission shall develop and make available to operators and competent authorities a mobile application allowing the performance of administrative tasks in relation to the transport of animals. The application shall have at least the following functionalities connected to TRACES: | 1. By ... [2 years from the date of entry into force of this Regulation], the Commission shall develop and make available to operators and competent authorities a mobile application allowing the performance of administrative tasks in relation to the transport of animals. The application shall have at least the following functionalities connected to TRACES: |
Or. en
Amendment 20
Proposal for a regulation
Article 54 – paragraph 1
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. By [10 years after the date of entry into force of this Regulation], the Commission shall carry out an evaluation of this Regulation and present a report on the main findings to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions. | 1. By ... [5 years from the date of entry into force] and every 5 years thereafter, the Commission shall carry out an evaluation of this Regulation and present a report on the main findings to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions. |
Or. en
Explanatory statement 5 paragraphs
The present report has been drafted following the European Commission's legislative proposal on animal welfare during transport, with the objective of raising animal welfare standards while also respecting and protecting the interests of European farmers and guaranteeing a level playing field among the different stakeholders, strengthening the existing legal framework and ensuring the effective implementation of the rules in Member States.
In this context, the Co-Rapporteurs have analysed the key aspects of the regulation and have proposed amendments aimed at supporting its implementation and eliminating loopholes, strengthening monitoring mechanisms, and clarifying the obligations of the involved parties.
The Co-Rapporteurs have focused their amendments on several aspects, particularly on enforcement, a subject on which both Rapporteurs firmly agreed that strong measures are necessary to ensure the proper implementation of EU rules on animal transport.
The Co-Rapporteurs agreed on the need for the appropriate implementation of this Regulation by Member States, calling for the establishment of suitable mechanisms by the European Commission in this regard. They also agreed on the necessity of ensuring that drivers receive proper instruction. Additionally, they proposed amendments to provide clearer protections for data collection, appropriate provisions to ensure that injured animals receive proper care, as well as general modifications to enhance the legal clarity of the proposal.
The rapporteurs agreed that further discussions are needed with the shadow rapporteurs of other Groups, namely on: journey times, temperatures, space allowances, transport to third countries, sanctions and the transport of aquatic species. The latter being a subject matter where inputs from the PECH Committee will be considered once the Opinion has been finalised.
Annex: entities or persons from whom the rapporteurs have received input 10 paragraphs
ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM TILLY METZ (RAPPORTEUR) HAS RECEIVED INPUT
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur Tilly METZ declares that she received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the draft report:
| Entity and/or person |
| Four Paws |
| Humane Society International/Europe |
| Eurogroup for Animals |
| The European Institute for Animal Law & Policy |
| Animal Welfare Foundation |
| IFOAM Organics |
| Federation of Veterinarians of Europe |
| Copa-Cogeca |
| European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders |
| European Rabbit Association |
| European Rural Poultry Association |
| Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners |
| Albert Schweitzer Stiftung |
| Animals Angels |
| Animals International |
The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that she has submitted to the concerned natural persons the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.
ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM DANIEL BUDA (RAPPORTEUR) HAS RECEIVED INPUT
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur Daniel BUDA declares that he received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the draft report:
| Entity and/or person |
| Copa-Cogeca |
| European Federation for Hunting and Conservation |
| Olivia GmbH |
| Animals Angels |
| European Rabbit Association |
| European Rural Poultry Association |
| Animal Welfare Foundation |
| International Road Transport Union |
| Four Paws |
| European Livestock Voice |
| European Livestock and Meat Trades Union |
| European Institute for Animal Law |
| German Animal Breeders’ Federation |
| EW Group GmbH |
| Wageningen University |
| University of Bristol |
| IFOAM Organics Europe |
| Federation of Veterinarians of Europe |
| Italian National Association of Equine Transporters |
| DEUTSCHE REITERLICHE VEREINIGUNG e. V. |
| European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders |
| The Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK) |
| Finnish Transport and Logistics (SKAL) |
| Finnish Food and Drink industries’ Federation (ETL) |
| The Central Union of Swedish-speaking Farmers and Forest Owners (SLC) |
| INAPORC |
| Humane Society International/Europe |
| Vinces Consulting |
| Asociación Interprofesional Española de Carne Avícola |
| Institut du porc (IFIP) |
| Fédération européenne du foie gras |
| AVEC - Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU Countries |
| EU Dog & Cat Alliance |
| Albert Schweitzer Foundation |
| Association Nationale interprofessionnelle de la volaille de chair (ANVOL) |
| Association Nationale Interprofessionnelle du Bétail et des Viandes (INTERBEV) |
The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the concerned natural persons the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.