EU animal welfare rules: A backward step on transport?

As part of the revision of the EU’s animal welfare legislation, the European Commission presented in December 2023 a proposal for new rules on the protection of animals during transport. The draft regulation aims to limit journey times, require rest breaks, set temperature thresholds and introduce minimum space allowances, reflecting calls for higher welfare standards. Since then, the European Parliament has proposed thousands of amendments to the text, with many observers warning that these changes risk watering down the original proposal and weakening its impact. In this Policy Triangle discussion, Tilly Metz MEP, Dr Joanna Swabe from Humane World for Animals Europe, and Nancy De Briyne from the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe explore whether the Commission’s proposal and Parliament’s response can deliver meaningful progress on animal welfare during transport or risk falling short of expectations.