MEP Barry Cowen has tabled amendments to EU animal transport rules, with a focus on retaining the "existing derogation" for sea journeys from strict journey time limits.
Cowen said that this derogation is "essential for the viability of Irish agriculture" and added that it will remain "a top priority" in the ongoing legislative discussions on animal transport.
The Fianna Fáil MEP is a full member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) ,and said that the submitted amendments to the proposed EU regulations on live animal transport "reflect both scientific understanding and economic realities".
The amendments were tabled last week alongside Fianna Fáil colleague MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, a member of the European Parliament’s Transport (TRAN) Committee, which is jointly assessing the proposed legislation alongside AGRI.
While the EU Commission had proposed raising the minimum transport age to five weeks and setting a weight requirement of 50kg, Cowen has suggested maintaining the current standard of 14 days.
“Our priority is ensuring that these rules work in practice – not just on paper. The commission’s proposals, though well-intentioned, overlooked the practical implications for countries like Ireland," Cowen said.
"That’s why my team and I have focused our amendments on maintaining the sea journey derogation and protecting Irish farmers from unnecessary hardship," the MEP added.
Further proposals by Cowen include modifying the maximum journey time for calves, allowing for an extended transport cycle under certain conditions.
This includes recognition of rehydration through electrolyte solutions, additional permitted journey segments and structured rest periods at approved assembly centres.
Other amendments include excluding loading/unloading time from the overall journey calculation and replacing mandatory veterinary presence with trained technicians during key transport stages.
“Requiring a vet for every step of the process is not realistic – especially when trained animal technicians are more than capable of ensuring best practice. We’ve also made sure that practicalities like loading times and short farm-to-farm movements aren’t unfairly penalised," Cowen said.
Cowen has also proposed removing the need for journey logs on short domestic trips and "deleting" new vehicle height restrictions proposed by the EU Commission.
Cowen also joined Fine Gael MEP Nina Carberry in tabling an amendment to ensure that basic animal transport standards apply to the equine sector, a move aimed at promoting consistency across species.