(IN): Animal activists hail European Union move

April 12, 2009

Animal activists hail European Union move

Statesman News Service

NEW DELHI, April 11: Animal activists in India have welcomed a move by

the European Union (EU) to push for inclusion of animal welfare in the

World Trade Organisation (WTO) multilateral trade negotiations. They

have said that they will pursue the goal of welfare of animals

including stray animals that are subjected to untold sufferings.

Hailing the EU move as the right one, Citizens for Animal Rights

(CFAR), New Delhi, said that the inclusion of animal welfare standards

in WTO agenda is urgently needed to effectively enforce animal

standards worldwide, and to improve the appalling condition of

slaughter houses in many countries, including India. India should take

the lead in promoting animal welfare as the land of Ahimsa, they said.

Animal welfare concerns are being increasingly recognised in food

production around the world, but they must be formalised within the

WTO trade agreements, according to several senior representatives of

the EU who spoke at a recent Brussels conference on " Global Trade and

Farm Animal Welfare " . Czech agriculture minister Mr Petr Gandalovic,

the new chair of the EU Farm Council, explained that the next six

months will see a strong focus on European animal welfare standards,

including new slaughter rules.

EU health commissioner Miss Androulla Vassiliou also highlighted the

growing importance of animal welfare issues as live animals and animal

produce are traded across the world, arguing for their inclusion as a

" non-trade concern " in WTO agreements. She said: “Animal welfare is

gaining rapid momentum, not only in the EU but worldwide”. The

importance of animal welfare in ensuring the quality and safety of

meat was also highlighted, as well as the goal of minimising animal

suffering.

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