This new leaflet outlines some of the achievements of the European Union in the area of animal protection.

• EU politicians agreed to ban the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics in 1993; the ban was the first of its kind anywhere in the world.
• Seal fur is no longer sold in European shops thanks to the EU seal product ban.
• Trade in endangered species is banned throughout the EU.
• Europe’s nature laws protect precious species and habitats in all 28 EU member countries.

Jean said: “The EU has introduced some of the strongest animal protection rules that exist anywhere in the world. These laws apply in all 28 EU countires and were adopted because people campaigned for them. Together we have shaped European law.” 

‘What Europe is doing for animals‘ can be downloaded here.

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Ms Lambert’s criticisms follow the publication of a report which suggests that bullfighting would be unviable without the generous subsidies given to the industry by the European Union.

The report estimates that bullfighting receives over £100m worth of subsidies from the EU, predominantly through the Common Agricultural Policy.

They are not given specifically for the bullfighting industry – but are channeled into it by the Spanish Government which, along with the European Commission, could stop the flow of EU cash.

Ms Lambert has joined other MEPs in writing to the EU’s agriculture minister calling for an end to EU subsidies for bullfighting.

Commenting on the report Ms Lambert said:

“Whilst people across Europe are wondering where they’re going to get the next meal from the EU continues to pour our money into bullfighting: this has to stop.

“Bullfighting is barbaric and cruel and, without the prop of EU farming subsidies, it’s a failing business. The EU must immediately withdraw funding from bullfighting and redirect the money towards sustainable agriculture producing affordable food.”

Another member of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, Raul Romeva, said:

“It is unacceptable that EU funds continue to be used to prop up this brutal practice, which flies in the face of EU commitments on animal welfare. This report makes clear that bullfighting would not be financially viable without subsidies, with public interest and support seriously waning.

Given EU funds of at least €130 million per year – and probably much more – continue to be channeled to the bullfighting industry, it is clear that this is also a question for the EU and the Commission must stop trying to duck responsibility for the issue.”

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Visiting Ealing Animal Welfare Bazaar with Caroline Allen, Green Party Animals’ spokesperson, Ms Lambert met campaigners working on issues ranging from stray dogs in Ealing to global wildlife protection laws.

Speaking after the event, she said: “Ealing Animal Welfare Bazaar has been running for more than three decades, and has become a great event for meeting some of the key campaigners working on animal welfare issues around the world.

“Organisations doing great work on the ground to protect animals here in London – such as Doris Banham Dog Rescue and the Blue Cross – and international campaign groups like WWF and the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research boast very different areas of specialism, and don’t often gather under the same roof.

“That’s what makes this event so successful: it’s a chance to learn about – and support – the work of so many of these groups. I’ve certainly learnt a lot about how to best promote animal welfare at EU level, and I’m already looking forward to next year.”

Ms Lambert also met Green Party members and Friends of the Earth activists at the event.

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A collective of organisations, including Compassion in World Farming, WSPA and Ben & Jerry’s, have joined forces in calling for a new law on cow welfare, using the recently launched European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI).  Under the ECI, Europeans have the power to propose new legislation on a specific issue if they gain one million signatures of support from around the EU.

The proposed EU Directive on Dairy Cow Welfare calls for common, specific and enforceable standards across Europe, including daily access to shelter and comfortable resting areas, a nutritious diet and fresh drinking water and a reduction in painful bovine diseases.

Once the petition has collected one million signatures, the initiative will be passed to the European Commission, who will consider whether to propose legislation in response to the concerns raised.

This article is taken from ‘Making Tracks’, a newsletter from the UK’s Green MEPs about their work on animal rights. To receive a copy by email or post please email jeanlambert@greenmeps.org.uk or you can download a PDF copy of this newsletter.

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During 2010, British Horse Racing Authority (BHA) rules on the use of the whip were broken more than 17 times per week, causing much pain and suffering to the horses, and research by the BHA shows that 57 per cent of people support a ban.

Jean has written to the Environment Secretary, Caroline Spelman to demand an immediate ban on the whip and to urge Defra to take a tougher, more stringent regulatory approach to the industry.

This article is taken from ‘Making Tracks’, a newsletter from the UK’s Green MEPs about their work on animal rights. To receive a copy by email or post please email jeanlambert@greenmeps.org.uk or you can download a PDF copy of this newsletter.

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Jean Lambert, a Member of the European Parliament for the Green Party, which is against testing on animals, has added her name to a Europe-wide petition being collected in 11 European languages and supported by animal groups across the EU such as Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK(2). The petition was launched by the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research, the UK’s leading non-animal medical research charity.

Says Wendy Higgins, Communications Director for the Dr Hadwen Trust:
“There’s unlikely to be a better moment than this for the European Union to really commit to meaningful action to replace animal experiments. Animal research is not only cruel, it also has significant scientific limitations which mean it can never be relied on to guarantee human health or safety. Modern non-animal techniques are the way forward and now as Europe’s animal testing legislation is reviewed, legislators have it within their power to put non-animal replacements at the heart of Europe’s research agenda. We want to see real commitment to targeted action and massively increased efforts.”

Jean Lambert MEP commented: “Europe’s ‘animal testing’ legislation – Directive 86/609 – is desperately out of date. Animal Experimentation is cruel, unnecessary and whilst the public vote with their feet increasingly making a conscious decision to buy products and brands against testing on animals, clearly flies in the face of public opinion.

“We have previously called for a complete and permanent ban on the testing and sale of cosmetics and medicines tested on animals and will once again remind the EU Commission of this demand urging them to bring this, and other animal protection policies, into modern legislation.”

The directive does not regulate large areas of animal experimentation such as ‘basic research’ (including much medical research). Consequently, pan-European efforts to find non-animal replacement techniques have tended to overlook these areas, despite the fact that they offer some of the most significant opportunities for making progress in non-animal testing.

The Dr Hadwen Trust is now urging the European Union to use the revision of Directive 86/609 as a spring board for massively increasing replacement efforts (3). There are currently more than 13 million animal experiments in Europe each year (4), with the UK the largest user of laboratory animals in Europe (5).

Says Wendy Higgins:
“The Dr Hadwen Trust’s own non-animal research into illnesses such as epilepsy, cancer, meningitis, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease and AIDS, proves that we don’t need to make a choice between helping animals or helping people. I would encourage anyone who cares about animal and human suffering to sign our petition and help us demonstrate that European citizens want a non-animal testing future now!”

ENDS

Council Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. The Commission will produce and adopt a proposal which will be sent to the European Parliament and the Council to undergo co-decision procedure (due to start early/mid 2007, and lasting approximately two years).

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