The Scotsman reported in April that the European Commission’s David Byrne conceded that EC proposals to restrict animal transports to a maximum of eight hours or 500 km would have to be revised because of a lack of suport from both the EC’s Scientific COmmitte for Animal Welfare as well as farm ministers from European Union nations.
Byrne instead suggested that any EC regulatiosn on animal transport would likely focus on the density of animals transported, loading and unloading conditions, and training of drivers and animal handlers.
The Scotsman quoted Jim Walker, presendet of the National Farm Union of Scotland as sayign this represented a victory for farmers,
This is good news for the livestock industry, especially in Scotalnd. The original proposals woudl have created huge problems and made it very difficult, if not impossible, to operate many Highland and Island sales.
Source:
EC set to relax animal transport proposals. Fordyce Maxwell And Dan Buglass, The Scotsman, April 11, 2003.