Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his contributions of 13 December 2012, Official Report, column 529, on live animal exports, on how many occasions he has reported concerns over live animal export transporters to the competent authorities of other EU member states.
[135852]
Answer
The following paragraphs are extracts from the most recent Annual Report (for 2011) to the EU Commission on inspections and follow-up action under article 27 of Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005, concerning the protection of animals during transport:
“The United Kingdom continued to communicate and work with Member State (MS) contact points regarding potential contraventions of EC/1/2005 and information exchange under Article 26 of EC/1/2005. Similar to 2010, there were no serious welfare infringements reported by other MS regarding UK transporters during 2011. In 2011 there were seven notifications regarding UK transporters from other MS, three of which referred to a failure to return journey logs and included a continued case from the previous year. This is an improvement on 2010 where 8 out of a total of 12 notifications/elated to failed return of journey logs. Information exchange included confirmation of a transporter's competence following relocation to another MS and enquiries on AHVLA guidance on requirements for transport of horses through Eurotunnel.
Thirty notifications were made by the UK to other MS in 2011 including a notification to all other MS of the temporary suspension of a UK transporter's authorisation in 2011. Whilst this was a 200% increase in number of MS notifications from 2010, only one of the notifications related to transport of an unfit animal, the remainder being technical or documentary non-compliances where animal welfare had not been directly impacted. This is in contrast with, and an excellent improvement on 2010 where 9 of the total 11 notifications had been related to the transport of unfit animals. It is believed that the UK's persistence in reporting such activities and widespread communication to both trade and professional journals in 2010-2011 had a positive impact in reducing the risk of unfit animals being transported to the UK from other MS.”