On May 14, the British Parliament approved a ban on the export of live-bred animals, leaving the European Union to wait for the practice to be allowed.
With the approval of this Act, the United Kingdom guarantees to stop the slaughter and export for fattening of thousands of cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, wild boars and horses from or through England, Wales and Scotland.
Already approved by the House of Commons (the lower house of parliament), the text was adopted by the House of Lords (the upper house) on 14 May. Once it receives the formal “Royal Seal” it is registered in law. Announced by the end of 2023, the proposal was first raised and tabled by the Conservatives in 2017. “Brexit Benefit” EU trade rules prevent member states from banning live animal exports to other EU countries.
“In the European context, Portugal is a peripheral country, we are surrounded by the sea and Spain. This law will have very serious consequences for Portuguese cattle breeders if its specificity is not taken into account.“, he said Italiano LeoPresident of CONFACRI – National Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives and Agricultural Credit of Portugal recently during a debate with European candidates promoted by the confederation.
During the vote, several members of the House of Lords lamented the law’s inapplicability to Northern Ireland, which sees some EU regulations continue to apply under post-Brexit rules. Animal protection NGOs are calling on the EU to also ban the export of live animals to third countriesBut this option was recently rejected by the Commission.
England joins the ban Global Movement It sought to end the cruelty of live animal exports. Recently, Brazil imposed a ban on the export of live cows and calves and a ban on the export of live cows, sheep, goats and deer by sea came into effect in New Zealand.
systems like Compassion in World Agriculture (CIWF), Kent Action Against Direct Exports (KAALE) This is Animal Equality It is leading the campaign to ban the export of live animals. “It’s a great day to celebrate and a long-awaited one. For decades, animals have endured these stupid and difficult exports to the continent, but not anymore! I’m so proud of our supporters whose dedication and perseverance made this hard-fought victory possible,” he said. Philip LimberyCEO of Compassion in World Agriculture (CIWF).
Spain is one of the largest exporters of live animals in Europe
Those organizations say that Spain is one of the largest exporters of live animals in Europe. In 2022, more than one and a half million animals that died in halal slaughterhouses in the Middle East were exported alive.
Elsewhere in the world, Australia has committed to ending live sheep exports by 2028.
New Zealand has also banned the export of livestock by sea from April 2023.