International transport of animals
Detailed recommendations on the transport of respectively horses, pigs, cattle, sheep and goats, and poultry have been adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. To each of these Recommendations is appended a very detailed Code of Conduct.
In 1988 and 1989, two Multilateral Consultations were dedicated to monitoring the implementation of the European Convention for the protection of animals during international transport. Following the conclusions of these Multilateral Consultations, the Committee of Ministers adopted, in addition to a first Recommendation concerning the transport of horses adopted in 1987, four other Recommendations to member States, concerning the transport of pigs, cattle, sheep and goats and poultry.
Recommendation No. 1289 (1996) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on animal welfare and livestock transport, where the Assembly expressed its concern towards the ill treatment of animals during international transport, and the reply adopted by the Committee of Ministers at its 607th meeting, on 30 October 1997, gave new impetus to the process of revision of the Convention ETS No. 065, and a Working Party was instructed to prepare a new Multilateral Consultation, which was held in Strasbourg on 18-20 June 2002 and brought about the approval of a revised Convention. The revised Convention was adopted by the Ministers' Deputies on 11 June 2003 and opened for signature in Chişinau, on 6 November 2003, on the occasion of the 113th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. It entered into force on 14 March 2006.
