Last News and Events
Welcome to the Estonian Presidency of the EU
Estonia is taking over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the next six months, with the motto 'Unity through balance'. As from July1st, Estonia, part of the Presidency Trio with Bulgaria and Austria, is taking over the Maltese Presidency. First meetings will take place in July in Tallinn. The Estonian Presidency will focus on preserving the common values of prosperity, security, peace and stability in Europe, based on four key areas, aiming to be ‘knowledgeable, efficient, open and transparent’ and ensuring that the EU remains united. Program of the Estonian Presidency: 1. Digital solutions based on an open and innovative European economy 2. Ensuring a safe…
Italian Supreme Court: keeping live lobsters on ice in a restaurant is mistreatment
The Italian Supreme Court sentences a restaurant to a 5,000EUR fine for keeping lobster on ice. The high court confirms that crustaceans are sentient beings capable of experiencing pain if they are mistreated. The Italian Supreme Court states that lobster feel pain if they are kept on ice before being taken to a kitchen, particularly if their claws are tied. Those that follow this practice are considered to be mistreating the animal, as per Article 727 of the Italian criminal code. Because of this, the Supreme Court sanctioned the Campi Bisenzio restaurant in Florence to a 5,000EUR fine, in addition to paying compensation damages to the LAV (Antivivisection League). …
06.06.2017 – Kick-off meeting of the EU Platform on Animal Welfare by the EU Commission
FOUR PAWS is looking forward to exchange of shared best practices and the work to come, but reminds the EU Commission that they should take action too. The international animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS welcomes the first meeting of the EU Platform on Animal Welfare, which gathered 75 representatives from NGOs, farmers’ organisations, scientists, EU Member States and other European countries (Switzerland, Iceland), international organisations such as FAO, OIE, and World Bank, and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Read our Press Release here To review the web stream of the meeting: https://webcast.ec.europa.eu/inaugural-meeting-of-the-platform-on-animal-welfare Click here to access the minutes of the meeting of the EU Platform on Animal Welfare. EU Platform on…
The Benelux Interparliamentary Assembly adopts by unanimity the recommendation on unscrupulous dog trade
FOUR PAWS welcomes the adoption of the recommendation. Brussels, 03.05.2017 – The International animal welfare organization FOUR PAWS is pleased with the adoption by the Benelux Interparliamentary Assembly of the recommendation that was drafted by Ms Sabine Vermeulen, member of the Benelux Parliament, introducing measures to tackle the unscrupulous practices of puppy trade. The recommendation which will be published soon considers several problems, such as the need to enforce the tractability of dogs and cross-border cooperation. FOUR PAWS closely followed the elaboration of the recommendation. Pierre SULTANA, Director of the European Policy Office of FOUR PAWS in Brussels, expressed his satisfaction regarding the vote and explains that: “our organization has…
Italian transposition of the Lab Animals Directive still in infringement
On February 15 2017, the European Commission sent a reasoned opinion (second step of the infringement process) to Italy for not having transposed properly the EU Directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (Directive 2010/63/EU). Already in April 2016, a letter of formal notice was sent to Italy by the EU Commission. If the Italian authorities fail to act within two months, the case may be referred to the Court of Justice of the EU. This Directive, which should have been enacted into national law by 10 November 2012, ensures a high level of animal welfare while safeguarding the proper functioning of the internal market. It also aims to minimise…