ANIMAL WELFARE IN CYPRUS - Response from the EU

Many signed the petition regarding concern about animal welfare in Cyprus and you may be interested to read the response received from the European Commission.



Directorate G - Veterinary and International affairs
Director
DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Brussels,
SANTE G3/AK/mm D (2015) 1663347

To whom it may concern.

Subject: Animal welfare in Cyprus

Many of you recently wrote to Commissioner Andriukaitis to express their concerns on
the situation of animal welfare in Cyprus, in particular as regards dogs and cats.  The Commission is aware that the welfare of animals, especially the control of stray dogs and cats may be problematic in some Member States. However, the welfare dogs and cats is not governed by EU rules and remains under the sole responsibility of the Member States.

Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union requires full regard for the welfare requirements of animals when formulating and implementing some EU policies, but does not constitute a legal base permitting all animal welfare issues to be addressed by the European Union.

The EU legislation has been developed over the years to protect farm animals. There are several pieces of legislation to protect animals kept in farms (a general directive and specific directives for laying hens, chickens for meat, calves and pigs) as well as to protect animals during transport and in slaughterhouses. In this regard the EU animal welfare measures are ones of the most comprehensive in the world. The EU rules have also been adopted on to protect animals used for scientific purposes and in zoos.

In 2012 the Commission adopted an overall EU strategy on animal welfare and worked
consistently in making sure that EU rules are properly enforced in this area. In the particular in 2012 the ban on bare cages for laying hens started to apply for all farms. In 2013 the grouping of sows was also implemented for all EU farms. In both cases the Commission dedicated significant efforts to ensure uniform application of EU law in all Member States.

Please be ensured that the Commission will continue to work in better protecting animals
within the limits defined by the EU Treaties.

Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 22991111
Ref. Ares(2015)1534980 - 10/04/2015