The Sustainable Livestock Intergroup makes its debut on March 5th
The newly established Sustainable Livestock Intergroup of the European Parliament is debuting by addressing a well-known yet complex topic: animal transport. The launch event, scheduled for March 5th from 4:00 to 5:30 pm in room ANTALL 4Q 1, aims to shift the traditional perspective of the debate, which is often polarised and detached from practical realities. What would happen if, for once, those who handle animals daily were given the floor?
What if we listened to those who handle animals daily?
What if we listened to those who handle animals daily? And what if science were genuinely integrated into everyday practice? These key questions will guide the discussion, featuring farmers, transporters, academics, policymakers, and civil society organisations. The perspective of those working directly with animals is crucial to understanding the dynamics of animal transport in Europe and developing solutions that enhance both animal welfare and the conditions of those who care for them. The Sustainable Livestock Intergroup seeks to promote a depolarised, fact-based, and field-oriented dialogue to address the issue’s economic, social, and environmental challenges. According to the organisers, this in-depth and practical discussion—often lacking in the previous parliamentary term—is the only way to develop balanced and truly applicable European policies.
The programme of the event
The programme will begin with welcome speeches from MEPs Alexander Bernhuber, Maria Grapini, and Benoît Cassart. Participants will then hear firsthand accounts from farmers and transporters, including a video by the Spanish livestock association ASOPROVAC and an excerpt from the French documentary “Les routiers profession chauffeur poids lourd, l’appel de la route“, featuring cattle transporters Teddy and Armonie. This will be followed by presentations of studies on animal transport, such as Patrick Chevillon‘s analysis of the costs related to pig protection for the EU pork industry (French Pork Institute, IFIP) and research conducted by SEPAB in collaboration with INRAE, presented by Laurent Trémoulet.
An exchange of views will conclude the discussion, bringing together the European Parliement rapporteurs on animal welfare during transport, representatives from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), civil society, and other participants. To further bridge the gap between policy and real-world conditions, the event will end with a live demonstration of a livestock transport truck outside the European Parliament, open to MEPs, assistants, and advisors.
The aim of the Sustainable Livestock Intergroup
Officially established in early 2025, the Sustainable Livestock Intergroup was created to provide Members of the European Parliament a platform to discuss existing agricultural practices and emerging technologies supporting sustainable animal farming.
The initiative aims to equip policymakers with informative tools to raise awareness of food production and help them assess the sector’s benefits and challenges in a balanced way, paving the way for realistic, science-based solutions that enhance animal welfare and the livestock sector’s environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
If you did not register to attend the event in Brussels, this is the link to follow the event remotely. People following the event remotely will only be able to listen, they will not be able to intervene.