Directive 1993/119 - Protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing - Main contents

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Council Directive 93/119/EC of 22 December 1993 on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing

Official Journal L 340 , 31/12/1993 P. 0021 - 0034

Finnish special edition: Chapter 3 Volume 55 P. 0194

Swedish special edition: Chapter 3 Volume 55 P. 0194

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 93/119/EC

of 22 December 1993

on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),

Whereas Council Directive 74/577/EEC (4) established rules on the stunning of animals before slaughter;

Whereas the European Convention for the Protection of Animals for Slaughter was approved on behalf of the Community by Council Decision 88/306/EEC (5); whereas the scope of the Convention is wider than existing Community rules on the matter;

Whereas national laws concerning the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing have an impact on the conditions of competition and accordingly on the operation of the common market in agricultural products;

Whereas there is therefore a need to establish common minimum standards for the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing in order to ensure rational development of production and to facilitate the completion of the internal market in animals and animal products;

Whereas at the time of slaughter or killing animals should be spared any avoidable pain or suffering;

Whereas, however, it is necessary to allow for technical and scientific experiments to be carried out and to take account of the particular requirements of certain religious rites;

Whereas the rules should also ensure satisfactory protection, at the time of slaughter or killing, for animals not covered by the Convention;

Whereas in the declaration on the protection of animals annexed to the Final Act of the Treaty on European Union, the Conference calls upon the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, as well as the Member States, when drafting and implementing Community legislation on the common agricultural policy, to pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals;

Whereas in so doing Community action must comply with the requirements arising out of the principle of subsidiarity laid down in Article 3b of the Treaty;

Whereas Directive 74/577/EEC should be repealed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

CHAPTER I General provisions

Article 1

• 1. 

  This Directive shall apply to the movement, lairaging, restraint, stunning, slaughter and killing of animals bred and kept for the production of meat, skin, fur or other products and to methods of killing animals for the purpose of disease control.

• 2. 

  It shall not apply to:

• - 

  technical or scientific experiments relating to the procedures mentioned in paragraph 1, carried out under the supervision of the competent authority,

• - 

  animals which are killed in cultural or sports events,

• - 

  wild game killed in accordance with Article 3 of Directive 92/45/EEC.

Article 2

For the purposes of this Directive the following definitions shall apply:

• 1. 

  slaughterhouse: any premises, including facilities for moving or lairaging animals, used for the commercial slaughter of animals referred to in Article 5 (1);

• 2. 

  movement: unloading of animals or driving of them from unloading platforms, stalls or pens at slaughterhouses to the premises or place where they are to be slaughtered;

• 3. 

  lairaging: keeping animals in stalls, pens, covered areas or fields used by slaughterhouses in order to give them any necessary attention (water, fodder, rest) before they are...

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