EU livestock transport regulations set journey time and space limits, but compliance monitoring reveals widespread non-compliance with welfare impacts for millions of animals.
EU livestock transport welfare demonstrates the gap between regulation and enforcement. Maximum journey times, space allowances, and feeding requirements exist on paper but are systematically violated at rates that make them functionally voluntary in some member states. Investigation after investigation has documented overcrowding, temperature extremes, injured animals, and journey times exceeding limits. Enforcement requires investment in inspection capacity that not all member states provide. Consumer campaigns against live export — replacing it with chilled meat trade — address the worst welfare outcomes for long-distance transport while maintaining economic interests of producing regions through processed rather than live animal trade.