08 Apr 2024 --- Animal protection groups are urging the EU to halt livestock exports by sea after a new report revealed around half of approved carriers pose a high risk to the welfare of the animals and crew on board and maritime traffic. In 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal to revise its animal transport regulation, but NGOs insist the new rules would not improve the welfare of animals transported by sea. According to the report from the Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) in Germany and the environmental organization Robin des Bois in France, numerous livestock carriers permitted to load animals at EU ports are flying the flags of countries categorized as high risk (“black flag”) by the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Port State Control. Many more permitted vessels originate from medium-risk (“grey flag”) countries.
