The European Commission's proposed revision of livestock transport regulations represents the most significant potential reform of EU farm animal transport welfare in two decades, with proposed journey time limits and thermal standards that would dramatically reduce animal suffering.
Current EU livestock transport regulations permit journeys of up to 29 hours for cattle - journeys that welfare science has consistently shown cause significant stress, injury, and mortality. Third-country exports with no time limits have produced documented cases of animals traveling for days in extreme heat with inadequate food and water. Reform is strongly supported by welfare science but faces political resistance from member states with export-dependent livestock industries. The gap between welfare science evidence and current legal standards represents one of the most significant failings in EU animal welfare legislation. Proposed reforms, if implemented, would prevent millions of instances of animal suffering annually.