Yesterday, Monday 26th April the Council of Ministers, meeting in Luxembourg, failed to reach a compromise agreement on improved welfare conditions for animals in transport within the EU.

Comments Jo White, Campaigns Manager at the ILPH (International League for the Protection of Horses), "We are bitterly disappointed and frustrated that improvements to the current conditions in which horses are transported into and across the EU for slaughter, will not now be introduced.

"This was an opportunity to improve the current situation where horses and donkeys suffer unnecessarily due to excessively long journeys and lack of rest periods with many journeys taking days to reach the slaughter house. This is a situation that can now only get worse with the imminent enlargement of the EU and the loss of border inspection posts."

The ILPH has been tirelessly lobbying since December 2000 when the European Commission's draft transportation review was first published.

Continues Jo White, "We have been actively campaigning for reforms to the current Directive, lobbying for the inclusion of limited journey times to be introduced and for an opt-out for the UK on the issue of live horse exports for slaughter. Until serious improvements, including restricted journey times and dramatically improved conditions are introduced, horses and donkeys transported to slaughter will continue to suffer."

The ILPH will be seeking talks with Defra and the European Commission to further discuss proposals for an opt-out for the UK on live horse exports for slaughter and the issue of enforcement of the current Directive within an enlarged EU.

ILPH in Brussels to Lobby MEPs

Comments Jo White, Campaigns Manager at the ILPH, "We went to Brussels to gain further support from the politicians for our two inter-linking campaigns, against the long-distance transportation of slaughter horses and the possible resumption of the live export of horses and ponies from the UK to the continent for slaughter.

"We are concerned about certain aspects of the draft EU Animal Welfare Regulations, published this summer, that will affect the transportation of slaughter horses into the EU and could allow the resumption of live exports of horses and ponies from the UK to the continent.

"The new regulations are currently being examined by the European Parliament who will compile a report to send to the European Commission on their findings early next year. We felt that this was the right time to lobby for support from all the relevant MEPs, from all the Member States.

"The response in Brussels was excellent and we shall continue to work with MEPs, the European Commission and the British Government towards achieving our goal of stopping the long distance transportation of slaughter horses and, that of ensuring that our horses and ponies never leave these shores again for slaughter abroad."

Say NO to Live Exports

The British public would be horrified to think that the export of our horses and ponies for slaughter abroad could resume. Yet it could.

The ILPH (International League for the Protection of Horses) is so concerned that new draft EU Regulations could allow the resumption of the live export trade that they are urging everybody who cares about animals to join their campaign to make sure it never happens again.

The first to sign up were our victorious British Event Team, gold medallists at last week’s European 3 Day Event Championships. Pippa Funnell, ranked number one in the world and recent Rolex Grand Slam Winner, comments, “I cannot believe that every year tens of thousands of horses travel in misery for days on end across Europe for slaughter, just for somebody to eat.

“We must not allow this traffic from the UK to start again. We owe it to our horses and ponies to protect them. We must act now and support the ILPH.” Roger Helmer, MEP for the East Midlands also endorses the campaign when he says,

"There is a strong consensus of opinion in the European Parliament that live animals are suffering unnecessarily on excessively long journeys across Europe to their final destination and we, like the ILPH, are actively seeking to reduce the maximum hours they travel.

David Lidington MP, Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, also supporting the campaign comments, "It is inconceivable that live exports of our horses and ponies for slaughter abroad should recommence after so many years. No animal, let alone horses, ponies or donkeys, should suffer in lorries for days on end, often without food and water, to end to up in a foreign abattoir. I am sure that the British public will support the ILPH, as I do, in their campaign to ensure that this will never happen again."

Those sickened by the vision of British horses and ponies joining their European cousins on the slaughter horse trail can support the campaign by joining the online petition to the European Parliament or by writing to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, The Rt. Hon Margaret Beckett, or both.

This Friday 26th September the ILPH on line petition, www.ilph.org and their dedicated “Say NO to Live Exports” phone line 0870 906 1927 will go live. Campaign supporters can ask for a Campaigns Pack which includes information on the campaign, a sample letter to The Right Hon. Margaret Beckett, and other ways they can support the campaign.