February 27, 2023

European Commission seeks to beef up rules for protecting animals delivered by sea

The European Commission has proposed to strengthen the rules for the protection of animals transported by sea.

New, stricter requirements will apply to record keeping, emergency procedures, exit point facilities and the approval of livestock vessels for the transport of animals. The new rules aim to strengthen inspections of livestock vessels by EU member states.

An European database will be set up by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to record all inspections and to allow member states to quickly access all relevant information during inspections.

The rules include a delegated act on ship inspection and exit controls and an implementing act on the recording, storage and sharing of official control records, giving all member states rapid access to harmonise information.

Both pieces of legislation will enter into force by May.

- European Commission