Billions of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry and horses are transported in and out of the EU every year for breeding, fattening or slaughter as farmers and meat producers try to exploit cost differences between regions to make a profit, European Court of Justice This is stated in the auditors’ statement published on Monday.

According to the cited source, more than a third of these trips last more than eight hours, and animal welfare standards are not always met.

“This raised questions about the adequacy of the relevant standards. In a research paper published today, EU auditors highlight trends in animal transport and draw attention to the challenges facing EU decision-makers, as well as the opportunities they can consider, ahead of the imminent reform of EU rules. Livestock production is unevenly distributed across EU countries and regions, and farms tend to specialize in one species or one stage of production. In addition, there is a tendency to decrease the number of large farms and slaughterhouses,” the quoted source said.

In this context, farmers and meat producers seek to minimize the cost of production and slaughter of animals, maximize income and optimize economies of scale by exploiting the differences in costs between Member States. These factors stimulate transport

animals, especially when transport costs are a small fraction of the retail price of the meat.

“Transporting live animals over long distances can have detrimental effects on their welfare. EU animal transport legislation is not uniformly enforced by member states and there is a risk that transporters will exploit loopholes arising from different national sanctioning systems,” said Eva. Lindstrom, the member of the Court responsible for this analysis.

According to the cited source, there is a risk that carriers will choose longer routes to avoid crossing countries that apply stricter EU rules and impose stricter sanctions. Non-compliance can bring financial benefits to producers, for example when it comes to the transport of unfit animals, as in this case countries usually do not apply deterrent sanctions.

In this review, the auditors note that the negative impact of transport on animal welfare can be mitigated by reducing the number and length of journeys and by improving conditions for animals during transport. At the same time, attention is paid to some alternatives to the transportation of live animals.

Therefore, in some cases, slaughter closer to the place of production may be a solution: the use of local and mobile slaughterhouses can reduce the need to transport animals and be more environmentally friendly.

Consumers, in turn, can be an important driver of change: the survey showed that some are willing to pay a higher price for meat, but only if they are informed about the good quality of life of the animals. According to the auditors, better information for consumers will help them make informed consumption choices. This can be achieved through the EU’s animal welfare labeling system, which will provide greater transparency and harmonize meat labeling across the EU bloc.

“The new rules can be an opportunity to facilitate structural changes towards a more sustainable food supply chain. This will mean providing incentives to producers and consumers to encourage sustainable behavior on their part. EU politicians could have in mind attributing a monetary value to the suffering of animals and taking this value into account in the cost of transport and in the price of meat,” the cited document also states.

According to the European Court of Auditors, live animal transport data is fragmented at EU level and the European Commission does not have a centralized and comprehensive overview. Auditors note that IT developments and other technological improvements could be better used in this area. For example, a pan-European IT system to track all live animal transport could help centralize data, and the use of cameras and sensors could record animal movements and measure animal welfare.

Animals are stressed when loaded into vehicles. During transportation, they may suffer from hunger, thirst, heat, lack of space and rest. An animal may be transported several times during its life: pigs fattened and slaughtered in Germany are often born in Denmark or the Netherlands, while cattle born in France, Ireland or Lithuania are often fattened and slaughtered in Spain or

in Italy.

The majority of trade in live animals between Member States is carried out by road transport. According to available data cited in the release, 63% of animal transports between 2017 and 2021 were short journeys of up to eight hours, followed by long journeys (33%) and very long journeys. within 24 hours (4%).

“In recent years, EU citizens have become increasingly concerned about animal welfare, with NGOs highlighting the poor conditions animals can endure during transport, while the European Parliament has set up a commission of inquiry into the protection of animals during transport. “The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy still does not focus on animal welfare during transport. The Commission intends to propose revised animal welfare legislation by the end of this year,” the statement added.

Analysis document No. 03/2023 entitled “Transport of live animals in the EU: challenges and opportunities” is available on the Court’s website eca.europa.eu. It provides an interactive online dashboard that allows journalists, researchers and the general public to compare different countries, animal movements and their economic value.