Lesley, director of Eyes on Animals and York, director of TSB|AWF, together with 3 Italian animal-rights lawyers working on the case for us, had our meeting last Friday with Mr. van Goethem and his team from the European Commissions Crisis management in food, animals and plants about the on-going suffering and death of animals being exported from the EU to Turkey. Mr. van Goethem and his team informed us that they cannot take any concrete steps to change the situation. They say they do not have the power to put an end to the way this trade if being run despite it being in violation of their own EU legislation. They offer to communicate again to the competent authorities of the exporting countries of their duties when approving exports, and of the danger of this export route in the summer heat, but they cannot forbid anything. They also cannot insist that a stable be built at the border to unload animals in urgent situations, nor insist on shade and more water pumps be placed there. EonA and TSB|AWF are truly disappointed and question the purpose of the EU legislation for animal-welfare if the EU Commission has so little power over the exporting Member States that routinely cause problems. The lawyers of the NGOs remain hopeful and have submitted a complaint and will start procedures against the Member States in question.
