Health and Consumers Health and Consumers The Welfare of pigs Enforcement of the pig directive Intergroup on the welfare and conservation of animals Meeting 14 March 2013 Denis Simonin DG Health and Consumers Unit G3 Animal Welfare The views expressed here are purely those of the writer and may not in any circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of the European Commission

EU Animal Welfare Strategy The EU Animal Welfare Strategy identified lack of enforcement as one of the main issues Measures have been identified which could contribute to improve compliance across EU is:  Actions to be taken by Member States to correct situations of non-compliance  Infringement procedures launched by Commission  To develop guidelines for more specific interpretation of EU legislation  Dissemination of knowledge 2

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Directive 2008/120 laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs Requirements set to ensure the welfare of pigs include: a)Housing – floors, temperature, light and sound b)Behavioural needs c)Feed and water d)Procedures e)Competence of handlers 3

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Key enforcement issues and actions 1.Group housing of sows 2.Tail docking and manipulable materials 3.Flooring 4

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Group housing of sows Article 3(4): Member States shall ensure that sows and gilts are kept in groups during a period starting from 4 weeks after the service to 1 week before the expected time of farrowing. Since 1 January 2013, group housing of sows is compulsory in all EU pig holdings with 10 sows or more 5

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Group housing of sows 6

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Group housing of sows Essential to enforce EU legislation: Avoid unfair competition Credibility of the EU in applying welfare legislation No practical means to differentiate between animals and products obtained from compliant or non-compliant farms. 7

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Group housing of sows  Member States are primarily responsible for the implementation  In line with Regulation 882/2004 on official controls, they must:  Ask non-compliant producers to take corrective actions (Art 54)  Sanction, where necessary, non–compliant producers (Art 55)  Commission shall ensure that Member States apply the EU welfare legislation 8

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Group housing of sows Based on data provided by the Member States 11 fully comply (AT, BG, CZ, EE, LT, LU, LV, RO, SK, SE, UK) 9 at least 90% holdings compliant 3 at least 80% holdings compliant 2 at least 70% holdings compliant 2 at least 60% holdings compliant 9

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Group housing of sows  Data regularly collected since summer 2011  Issue extensively discussed in many forums with Member States and stakeholders  Member States' transposition checked again 2012  Request national action plans for group housing 2012  EU pilot sent to 23 Member States in September 2012  Infringement procedures were launched against 9 Member States (LFN on 21/2/2013) + 7 cases still open (pre-infringement) 10

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Tail docking Annex I (8) Certain procedures are permitted. However, neither tail- docking nor reduction of corner teeth must be carried out routinely. Before carrying out these procedures, other measures shall be taken to prevent tail-biting and other vices, taking into account environment and stocking densities. Inadequate environmental conditions or management systems must be changed. 11

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Manipulable material Annex I (4) Pigs must have access to a sufficient quantity of material to enable proper investigation and manipulation activities, such as straw, hay, wood, sawdust, mushroom compost, peat or a mixture of such, which does not compromise the health of the animals.

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Tail docking  Which provisions are not respected?  Good situation in very few Member States but done routinely in many others without efforts for alternatives  EU legislation may need further explanation through guidelines  "Inadequate environmental conditions"  "Other measures shall be taken" 13

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Tail docking First extended working group on 8 March 2013 Presentations given by Member States, industry, research and NGO's The Commission will develop guidelines for the requirements of Directive 2008/120 The information collected and experiences gathered will be used in this work. 14

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Flooring 15 Article 3 Sets specific requirements for space allowance according to pig size/weight Flooring surface must meet certain requirements (solid; smooth but not slippery) For concrete slatted floors maximum openings and minimum slat width are defined. Annex I Pigs are to have access to a lying area physically and thermally comfortable and all animals are to be able to lie at the same time

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Flooring 16 Many questions from the Member States in related to the interpretation of these requirements The Commission distributed its position at the Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health Presentations were given in a few instances allowing for questions from the Member States.

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Conclusion  Priority to group housing of sows  Intense work on tail docking + manipulable materials  Both topics also addressed in EUWelNet project  Interpretations for technical issues e.g. flooring  EU guidelines on pig directive for  Series of studies on alternatives to castration 17

Health and Consumers Health and Consumers Thank you for your attention 18