EU Farmers' Group Welcomes Debate on Welfare
EU - European Farmers organisation, Copa-Cogeca, has welcomed the public hearing on Animal Welfare organised by European Parliament, and emphasised the need to ensure that EU legislation is based...

Council Discusses Animal Welfare Labelling Scheme
EU - At the 2986th Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries earlier this week, progress was discussed in the development of a labelling scheme describing animal welfare.

Three out of Four EU Male Pigs Castrated
EU - A survey in European countries has revealed that 20 per cent of boars are left entire. Of the rest, fewer than three per cent are anaesthetised before castration.

Most EU Pigs Still Castrated Without Anaesthetic
EU - Over 96 million pigs a year are castrated without anaesthetic in the European Union.

EU Moves to Improve Animal Welfare Labelling
EU - A new European Commission report has launched a political debate over animal welfare labelling. The aim is to make it easier for consumers to identify more animal welfare-friendly food products.

New Disease Threat?
EU - There were reports of a new unexplained syndrome of diarrhoea in young piglets from Denmark and France at the first European Symposium on Porcine Health Management in Copenhagen at the end of August....

EU Ministers Agree To New Slaughterhouse Rules
EU - Conditions for animals at the time of killing will improve considerably from 1 January 2013, when a regulation, agreed by the European Council and providing for a series of practical measures to ensure...

McDonalds Launches Flagship Farms Programme
EU - Fast food restaurant chain McDonald's Europe has launched a new Flagship Farms programme, designed to promote and share the benefits of sustainable agricultural practices via real case studies from...

Boar Taint Prevention Vaccine Launched in Europe
EUROPE - A vaccine that could spell the end of boar taint in pork was launched in Europe this week by pharmaceutical company Pfizer.

European Commission Proposes New Labelling Rules
EU - Action is needed to improve communication about the qualities of agricultural products — to help reconnect farmers with consumers. Quality labelling schemes must also be easier for people to use and...

Measures to Cut Risk of Importing Animal Diseases
EU - A regulation on the introduction into the European Union of small quantities of animal products intended for personal consumption – a measure that will help reduce the risks of importing serious animal...

Stricter Transport Rules Equal More Expensive Meat
EU - The European Commission has admitted proposals to reduce livestock journey times and stocking densities may lead to a “slight increase” in meat prices for consumers.

Help for Smaller Abattoirs Proposed
EU - The European Commission should ensure that meat imported from non-European Union countries meets European standards, said MEPs at a meeting of the European Parliament agriculture committee.

Update on Pig Welfare Quality Programme
EU - Henri de Thoré gives an overview about the work on setting animal welfare standards in the EU Project Welfare Quality® for European Pig Producers.

Council Makes Progress on Animal Welfare
EU - At the 2934th Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels on 23 March 2009, support was given for a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW).

EU Considers Regulations to Stop Slaughter Suffering
EU - All forms of unnecessary suffering by animals must be avoided, but religious freedom must be respected, says the Agriculture Committee, which voted on Monday on plans to tighten up the rules on animal...

EU Hosted Global Conference on Trade, Welfare
EU - On 20-21 January 2009, the European Commission hosted a Conference on Global Trade and Farm Animal Welfare. The highlights are presented as as USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GAIN report in the...

EC Orientation Debate on Animal Cloning
EU - The College of Commissioners held an orientation debate on 13 January 2009 regarding the cloning of farm animals for food production to see if the EU’s current regulatory framework is sufficient or...

OIE: Vet Education on the Move to Protect World
EU - Over 90 of the OIE's Member Countries, for the most part developing and in-transition countries in all regions of the world, have already invited the OIE to conduct an independent evaluation of their...

EU: Create Level Playing Field for Welfare at Slaughter
EU - A proposal that will ensure all animals across Europe are protected at the time of slaughter will be subject to comprehensive consultation, Farming Minister Jane Kennedy said yesterday.

Conference on Trade and Welfare
EU - A conference on Global Trade and Farm Animal Welfare is taking place today and tomorrow (20 and 21 January 2009) in Brussels, organised by the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers...

Clones for Food: EC Breaking its Own Rules?
EU - An animal welfare group has claimed that The European Commission is breaking its own rules with a wait and see approach to animal cloning. The group claims that cloning harms animal welfare.

MEPs Debate Non-Enforcement of Rules
EU - Rules to protect animals are not being enforced properly according to two British MEPs who will raise the issue in a debate in Parliament on Thursday morning. The debate can be seen live online from...

Improved Breeding Herd Health with Circovac
EU - Latest findings from Merial demonstrate improved reproductive performance in sows vaccinated with Circovac PCV2 vaccine.

Why Do Pigs Die During Commercial Transportation?
EU - An international team of scientists, led by Spain’s Luis Fernando Gosálvez, has carried out a study in five European countries to identify and evaluate the factors involved in causing injuries or...