The Donkey Sanctuary has welcomed the news that the European Parliament has today approved a Resolution that prevents deregulation in animal welfare post-Brexit.
The charity is part of the Brexit Task Force within the Eurogroup for Animals and has been working at a national level to ensure there are no reductions in animal welfare standards when Britain leaves the EU.
The vote is a significant step forward in securing animal welfare standards following Brexit and comes ahead of the negotiations on the long-term relationship where Parliament will have a final say.
Valentina Riva, advocacy manager at The Donkey Sanctuary, says: “We see today’s vote as a very positive step towards ensuring animal welfare standards are upheld. It is important we give a voice to donkeys and not leave these animals to their fate when it comes to Brexit.”
Valentina continued: “We have been working within the Eurogroup for Animals’ Brexit Task Force on many levels and have provided veterinary expertise and policy guidance and will continue to support this important work."
The Resolution clearly sets out the conditions that Parliament needs to see in any final deal in order for MEPs to grant their approval.
Crucially, thanks to the efforts of several Members of the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals, and Eurogroup for Animals, the Resolution contains a number of strong provisions on animal welfare, including ‘A requirement for the UK to adhere to animal health and welfare rules (as a minimum) in order to create a level playing field.’