In Germany, the transport of several hundred calves to Morocco has become a focal point of the ongoing political conflict over a new animal welfare law. Due to concerns about animal welfare violations in Morocco, the state of Lower Saxony intends to prohibit the transport of 270 breeding cattle and is calling on the federal government to implement a nationwide ban.
Lower Saxony has revoked the transport permit after the German Bundesrat urged the government in Berlin to ban livestock transports to countries outside the EU. This federal council had already adopted a resolution in February stating that oversight of such transports could no longer be left to individual states due to a lack of resources and capacity.
Within Germany, Lower Saxony and Brandenburg are still leading in the export of live animals to countries outside Europe. Approximately 22,000 calves are exported annually from Lower Saxony and about 40,000 from Brandenburg. Other German states already prohibit such exports in some cases or impose special requirements.
In recent years, most states have increasingly banned controversial animal transports to countries like Uzbekistan, Morocco, or Kazakhstan. They fear that rest periods for the animals during the long journeys are not respected or that there will be shortages of food and drinking water at stopover points.
The issue of regional versus national laws for the modernization of agriculture and animal welfare remains the biggest stumbling block for Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner (CDU). She not only wants to maintain the extensive regionalization of agricultural policy, but also aims to assign many new European measures to the states.
Moreover, Klöckner does not want to impose new animal welfare regulations as mandatory on farmers and livestock holders but prefers a voluntary arrangement. Many experts in the German media express concerns that, in that case, little will be achieved.
The growing criticism is that states have allowed various exceptions for the benefit of German farmers for many years. Within the coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD, the ministers—with much negotiation—have largely reached an agreement, but the SPD still opposes it.
It became known last week that the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag will not support Klöckner’s ‘voluntary’ proposals. Due to the September elections, the SPD wants to keep its options open for coalition talks with The Greens and the liberal FDP.
According to the latest opinion polls, CDU/CSU and SPD will need a third party to secure a majority in the Bundestag. Especially The Greens seek comprehensive agricultural reform, with more obligations and fewer regional exceptions.