RNA slams EC proposals
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• The Road Haulage Association is still dissatisfied with EC proposals for legislation on the transport of animals.
The RHA's Ben McGuire says new proposals include none of the recommendations made by the association in response to the previous draft published last March (CM 2-8 March). "We have now been formally asked to comment -we've had to go about it the hard way up till now — but I don't hold much hope that anything we may suggest at this stage will be included," he says. "However, we are holding a meeting of the Livestock Group National Committee today (31 August) and we will certainly be making formal noises."
One of the RHA's main complaints is that the proposals imply containers must be permanently covered. "If this means the use of open-top lorries will be illegal we hope users will be given a period of grace to change them," says McGuire. The RUA also warns that if certain proposals apply nationally they will be too cumbersome, since hauliers would be required to get approval for the movement one day before the animals are transported. "There doesn't appear to be any haulage representation on these committees," says McGuire.
The draft regulation which Brussels would like to see in force by the end of 199(1 has been published as part of a package of measures on animal welfare.