RSPCA sets ‘red lines’ on welfare meeting

The RSPCA has set out important recommendations for animal welfare amid fears standards could be under threat in a future free-trade agreement.

The call came at the final monthly EU animal welfare meeting. The UK had been attending for the past 37 years.

No references

The charity said: “As the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill nears completion, it contains no references to animal welfare, despite the Government’s manifesto promises.

“This means there is no legal guarantee that animal welfare standards will be written into any future trade deal between the UK and the EU.”

‘Red lines’

The RSPCA‘s “red lines” are:

• Tariff-free trade should continue – especially on food.
• Both sides agree not to lower their standards – if one side improves theirs, the other should reciprocate.
• Both sides should recognise the other’s regulatory processes. This means, for example, products tested on animals would not need to be tested twice for the UK and the European market, raising the risk of increased animal testing.
• A common veterinary agreement between the EU and UK. This would make movement of animals between the two smoother, reducing checks and delays that could compromise welfare and a transparent process for resolving any trade issues that arise.