The EU will strengthen the protection of animals transported by sea

The European Commission proposes to strengthen the rules for the protection of animals transported by sea. New, more stringent requirements will apply to record keeping, emergency response, equipping exit points, and approving livestock trucks. The new rules aim to strengthen the inspections of livestock ships by EU Member States. A European database will be created by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to record all inspections and provide Member States with quick access to all relevant information during inspections.

The new rules include a delegated act on the inspection of ships and exit controls, as well as an implementing act on the recording, storage and exchange of official control records, giving all Member States rapid access to agreed information. Both bills will come into force by May.