Animal Welfare

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford has welcomed an assurance by the European Commission that EU states failing to comply with improved welfare rules for egg-laying hens will if necessary be taken to taken to the European court.

Sarah Ludford commented:

"This assurance is the result of intense political pressure by Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament. It would be intolerable ifUKegg producers investing in bigger and better cages suffered from illegal competitors undercutting their prices by persisting in poor welfare standards.

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford has added her name to a petition calling for a ban on the import of lion trophies.

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford has backed a call by the European Parliament for an 8 hour maximum limit on the journey time of animals transported across Europe to abattoirs. Signatures are being collected for a 'written declaration the MEP version of a Westminster Early Day motion.

MEPs are calling on the European Commission to impose such a limit through a tightening up of the current 2005 regulation governing animal transport. Under this regulation it is still legal for animals to travel long distances for a long period of time as long as certain rules on rest and refreshment are observed.

Sarah Ludford commented:

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford is backing tough UK action to prevent imported eggs produced in battery cages from being sold to British shoppers.

An EU ban on battery cages comes into effect on 1 January next year with egg producers required to provide hens with larger and more comfortable cages which include nesting and scratching areas to allow more natural behaviour. But 13 EU Member States have failed to fully comply with this legislation.

Farm minister Jim Paice MP has now announced that the UK government has reached a voluntary consensus with the domestic egg industry manufacturers and processors that they will not sell or use battery-farmed eggs. A major route is the import of liquid egg for use in making processed food.

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford a long time tiger campaigner has backed a European Parliament call for the EU to push at the forthcoming 'CITES' (Convention on International Trade in endangered species) conference in March for total ban on trade in a number of endangered species.

MEPs included a call for new bans on sales of blue fin tuna and polar bears a rejection of the request by Tanzania and Zambia to sell ivory and a strengthening of the efforts to stop illegal trade in the parts of tigers and other Asian big cats. Major criminal mafia gangs are engaged in much of this illicit trade.

After a vigorous debate a ban on EU imports of seal products has been overwhelmingly backed by MEPs in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The EU ban will hit Denmark and Italy most strongly but is not expected to have major economic consequences.

The European Parliament has voted by a large majority to approve a new EU law on animal testing for scientific and medical research which attracted considerable attention both from those concerned with animal welfare and from those concerned about the viability and competitiveness of research in Europe. The EU has already some years ago banned all animal tests for production of cosmetics but 12 million animals a year mainly mice and rats but including nearly 12000 apes and monkeys are used every year in Europe for scientific research.

The new directive revising an outdated one from 1986 covers modern techniques and incorporates the latest advances in animal welfare such as to improve clinical conditions for laboratory animals and reduce pain and suffering.

London Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Baroness Sarah Ludford has joined a majority of Members of the European Parliament in a campaign to improve animal welfare standards.

The European Parliament declaration this week calls for a new maximum limit for the movement of live animals of 8 hours or 500km on journeys for slaughter or further fattening. It highlights the overcrowding poor ventilation and water and food deprivation to which animals such as sheep and lambs are being subjected during journeys in excess of 40 hours.

Said Sarah:

"This campaign has attracted support which crosses both national and political boundaries and marks the depth of feeling about how we treat animals.

The EU Cosmetics Directive mposing by 2009 a Europe-wide ban n the marketing of all new products tested on animals has become law after Members of the European Parliament meeting in Strasbourg approved a deal negotiated with the Council of Ministers.

An extension till 2013 will be given only in the case of three of the 14 groups of tests routinely carried out while alternatives are developed.

Euro-MPs who had equal decision-making powers with ministers on the issue have claimed the result as a victory. They stuck to their demand for a ban on the sale of new products forcing EU ministers to drop claims that this would infringe World Trade Organisation rules.

The cosmetics industry faces the threat of a Europe-wide ban on the marketing of all new products unless it introduces alternatives to tests on animals.

The European Parliament meeting today [Tuesday 11th June] in Strasbourg united across party lines to push through a demand that within five years of new legislation a ban be introduced in the EU on sales of all cosmetics tested on animals. MEPs accepted only that a further five years should allowed before banning the last three of the 14 groups of tests to give time for alternatives to be developed.

Welcoming the vote London's Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Baroness Sarah Ludford said: