Local Euro MP supports 'Stop the Bull Ship' campaign

1.47.51pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 14th Jul 2005

Local Euro MP, Diana Wallis, is supporting Compassion in World Farming's "Stop the Bull Ship" campaign to abolish all subsidies for the export of live cattle from the European Union. She has signed a Written Declaration in the European Parliament calling for an end to export refunds paid on live cattle exports and to ensure that MEPs vote to delete any proposals for export refund payments in 2006 during the budget vote.

She said:

"Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) released horrific video footage obtained during an investigation into the EU-subsidised trade in live cattle from the EU to the Middle East. My office has received a lot of correspondence from local people urging me to support CIWF's campaign to bring an immediate and permanent end to this cruel trade. I am very happy to sign the Written Declaration. Public funds should instead be spent on schemes which protect rather than undermine animal welfare."

The video footage reveals EU cattle subjected to a damning catalogue of extended journey times, appalling welfare standards, institutionalised abuse and inhumane slaughter - during European Union-subsidised exports from the EU to the Middle East.

The extensive video footage - together with accompanying report "STOP THE BULL SHIP -The Subsidised Trade in Live Cattle from the European Union to the Middle East" - documents shocking aspects of the trade in live cattle - unwittingly financed by British and other EU taxpayers with payments of up to 60 million euros each year.

Operating undercover to track a shipment of live cattle from the Irish port of Waterford to the Lebanese port of Beirut - a team of investigators from CIWF witnessed the conditions of transport for animals from their country of origin, to the point of slaughter within the destination country.

In many cases the conditions witnessed would be illegal if found within the EU - yet the trade only remains profitable for dealers because of subsidies funded by EU taxpayers' money.

Nearly 200,000 live cattle are exported to the Middle East each year - with Germany, France and the Republic of Ireland the biggest exporters. Dealers receive up to £160 (231 Euros) in export refunds for each animal.

CIWF Chief Executive Joyce D'Silva said: "It is ethically unacceptable for European taxpayers' money to be used to promote a trade that routinely inflicts great suffering on animals.

CIWF celebrity supporter Joanna Lumley launched the "Stop the Bull Ship" campaign to MEPs and the media at a recent reception in the European Parliament in Brussels.

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