Az új állatjóléti törvény megfékezi az illegális kereskedelmet?
Az EU megalkotta az első, minden tagállamban érvénybe lépő macska- és kutyajóléti törvényt, amely az illegális kereskedelmet és a káros gyakorlatokat célozza meg. A rendelet már régóta esedékes volt, tekintve, hogy az uniós háztartások 44%-ában él házi kedvenc.
00:00The EU has created the first law on cats and dogs welfare to be applied across the block.
00:20The rules will target illegal trade and harmful practice against these pets.
00:25The European Parliament and Council have just defined their positions and are now entering negotiations to fine-tune the law.
00:33The rights of these pets are at the heart of EU Decoded.
00:36There are 127 million cats and 104 million dogs in the EU, with 44% of households owning either pet, according to European Commission data of 2023.
00:48The upcoming legislation sets minimum rules for the entire EU, such as mandatory microchipping and registration of dogs and cats born in or imported into the block.
01:01The European Parliament added that there should be a ban on the sale of dogs and cats in pet shops in an amended proposal approved this month.
01:09Finally, to avoid consanguinity, the crossbreeding between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, as well as between siblings and half-siblings, will be prohibited.
01:20Registration is mandatory in 24 of the 27 member states, but systems are fragmented.
01:27Let's hear what Europeans think about the new rules.
01:29I think it's a good thing, because whenever it happens, a cat gets out of the house, a cat gets out of the house.
01:36It's not good, I'm not sure. I think it's not.
01:39We can't be able to keep our animals alone.
01:42If you have a cat, you can see a cat on the street, you can see a cat on the street, or you can see where the mother comes from, where the father comes from.
01:51A cat is a cat, so many cat are always hunting, and they're hunting, and they're hunting on the street, for example in Romania or in Kosovo.
01:58Euronews reporter Gerardo Fortuna has been following this portfolio.
02:04The law aims to curb inappropriate practices in trade and breeding of these pets.
02:10Let's start by explaining these new limits on the number of litters that a female animal can have.
02:16Why is it so important?
02:17The Commission proposal sets a clear limit on the litter.
02:23Basically, a female of a dog or a cat can have maximum three litter over a two-year period, and after that, they're going to have at least one year of break.
02:35This is because frequent pregnancies actually lead to malnutrition or also weakening the immune system of the female dog and cat.
02:48So is this addressing the so-called puppy meals?
02:52Indeed. Indeed, it's one of the ways to curb this phenomenon of puppy meals.
02:57At the moment, it's actually both backed by the Council and the Parliament.
03:01There are also new rules and recommendations for pet owners in terms of the conditions that should be provided for the animals.
03:10What does the law impose now?
03:13There are some new standards when it comes to, for instance, species nutrition, depending on the species of the animal,
03:22the animal, a walk in the day, but also, for instance, confinement.
03:30This is approved just for transport or during hospitalization.
03:37So the three European institutions will now negotiate the final texts of this law.
03:43Are there still any points of friction?
03:46What else could change?
03:47The main points of friction are due to the fact that the European Parliament position is more ambitious than the Commission's proposal,
03:54but also than the Council's position.
03:58So, for instance, they're trying to ban inbreeding or breeding for extreme physical traits,
04:05but also euthanasia for healthy dogs in shelter.
04:09Of course, we can see some sort of resistance from the Council with the traditional arguments of the Council.
04:17So, basically, this will add more red tape and more bargains on businesses in Europe.
04:25The EU dog and cat trade is worth 1.3 billion euros annually, and 60% of owners purchase them online.
04:33Online trade has led to opacity regarding the origin of the animals, their health, and whether they are vaccinated.
04:41Regarding illegal trafficking, the main countries of origin are Romania and Hungary, both EU members,
04:48and the third countries, Russia, Belarus, Serbia, and Turkey, according to a study by the European Commission.
04:55Our guest is Tilly Metz, a Luxembourgese politician from the Green Group here at the European Parliament,
05:02and shout the rapporteur for this regulation.
05:04The new rules are expected to apply to about 40,000 commercial dog and cat breeders across the EU,
05:12and many of them sell their animals online.
05:15Do you believe that the future online platform will be enough to ensure traceability,
05:22or should the European member states also invest more in inspections and even punitive measures?
05:29I think it's very important that you can certify, if you're a breeder,
05:35that your animal is not only micro-ship, but really also register.
05:39And it's really the aim and the responsibility now from the Commission side to put a system that will work also in every member state.
05:49So we have also then the guarantee of interoperability to really have traceability of the animal throughout Europe.
05:57Illegal pet traders operate in mafia-like structures, said your colleague Peter Lees two years ago,
06:05when the Commission proposed this regulation.
06:07Will the new rules actually curb this, in particular with uncooperative countries such as Russia and Belarus,
06:17which are some of the main suppliers?
06:18That's why we want also that the animal is registered as soon as possible when it comes into the European Union.
06:28So what we have been advocating is really that the animal is registered already at the border.
06:35But now it is really to look also what is possible to implement.
06:41But the rule should be that the animal is also registered in the lapse of time when it comes into the European Union.
06:50So finally, although dogs and cats are about 90% of European pets, could this law be extended to other companion animals?
07:02Could you explain a little bit the positive list that is advocated by the European Parliament, which species could be included?
07:09Because you know that some people like to have snakes or even animals, wild animals that are protected, or little monkeys or whatever.
07:17So if we have a positive list, that would mean all the animals that are not on this positive list, you are not allowed to have them as companion animals.
07:27Electronic tracking may also help to combat pet abandonment.
07:32There are an estimated 100 million dogs and cats on streets and in shelters across Europe,
07:40according to the Socialist and Democratic Group in the European Parliament.
07:44We won't know whether this situation will change until the European Commission presents the first evaluation report in five years.
07:53But first, we need the regulation to be approved.
