More and more federal states tighten their rules for animal transports in non-EU states. The Ministry of the Environment in Bavaria announced that it had drawn up a list of 17 states into which there should no longer be animal transport from Bavaria - unless it has been proven that German animal welfare standards are consistently adhered to. Schleswig-Holstein had already declared at the end of February a temporary export stop of live animals in certain countries, Hessen moved in March.
"Animal welfare does not end at the national border," said Bavarian Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber (Free Voters). Animal transport should be animal welfare. Glauber also wants to create a central office that collects information on transport routes and gives recommendations to the veterinary authorities.
These include transports to Egypt, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Tunisia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. According to Glauber, animal exports could only be approved if transport planning, addresses and navigation data are verifiable. According to a ministry spokeswoman, about 6,500 cattle from Bavaria were brought to third countries in 2017.
Prohibition in Schleswig-Holstein expires on March 24
Schleswig-Holstein had made the first foray of a transport stop. Here are 14 states on the taboo list. Last week, the Ministry of the Environment in Kiel agreed with exporters to examine transport routes under the animal welfare aspect. The ban on animal transports from Schleswig-Holstein expires on 24 March. It is not planned to follow the example of Bavaria, said a spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture in Kiel.
Also in Hesse since this week there is such a provisional export ban, which is valid until mid-April. "In animal transports to third countries, it is unfortunately again and again to violate animal welfare minimum standards," said the Hessian Environment Minister Priska Hinz (Green). In North Rhine-Westphalia, however, last week it was decided to stop animal transports to third countries only if information on routes, supply stations and temperatures is available. Also, GPS data should be provided.
The German Animal Welfare Association welcomed the bans of the individual countries. "It is urgent that the handling practice be uniform as soon as possible nationwide," said Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Association in a statement on Wednesday.
Klöckner plans meeting before conference of Ministers of Agriculture
The competent ministers of Schleswig-Holstein, Hesse and Bavaria are now calling for a uniform nationwide solution for animal transport. Both Bavaria and Schleswig-Holstein plan to submit animal welfare applications for animal transport at the Agriculture Ministers' Conference in Landau in the Palatinate in April.
Federal Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner (CDU) plans to invite the countries to a meeting on animal transports to their ministry. At the beginning of March, the secretaries of state from Schleswig-Holstein, Berlin, Hamburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Rhineland-Palatinate and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Klöckner wrote a letter in which they demanded stricter rules for animal transports to non-EU states.