1.This Regulation shall apply to the transport of live vertebrate animals carried out within the Community, including the specific checks to be carried out by officials on consignments entering or leaving the customs territory of the Community.
2.Only Articles 3 and 27 shall apply to:
(a)the transport of animals carried out by farmers using agricultural vehicles or means of transport belonging to them in cases where the geographical circumstances call for transport for seasonal transhumance of certain types of animals;
(b)transport carried out by farmers, of their own animals, in their own means of transport for a distance of less than 50 km from their holding.
3.This Regulation shall not be an obstacle to any stricter national measures aimed at improving the welfare of animals during transport taking place entirely within the territory of a Member State or during sea transport departing from the territory of a Member State.
4.This Regulation shall apply without prejudice to Community veterinary legislation.
5.This Regulation shall not apply to the transport of animals which does not take place in connection with an economic activity and to the transport of animals directly to or from veterinary practices or clinics, under the advice of a veterinarian.
For the purposes of this Regulation the following definitions shall apply:
‘animals’ means live vertebrate animals;
‘assembly centres’ means places such as holdings, collection centres and markets, at which domestic Equidae or domestic animals of bovine, ovine, caprine or porcine species originating from different holdings are grouped together to form consignments;
‘attendant’ means a person directly in charge of the welfare of the animals who accompanies them during a journey;
‘border inspection post’ means any inspection post designated and approved in accordance with Article 6 of Directive 91/496/EEC(1), for carrying out veterinary checks on animals arriving from third countries at the border of the territory of the Community;
‘Community veterinary legislation’ means legislation listed in Chapter I of Annex A to Directive 90/425/EEC(2) and any subsequent implementing rules;
‘competent authority’ means the central authority of a Member State competent to carry out checks on animal welfare or any authority to which it has delegated that competence;
‘container’ means any crate, box, receptacle or other rigid structure used for the transport of animals which is not a means of transport;
‘control posts’ means control posts as referred to in Regulation (EC) No 1255/97;
‘exit point’ means a border inspection post or any other place designated by a Member State where animals leave the customs territory of the Community;
‘journey’ means the entire transport operation from the place of departure to the place of destination, including any unloading, accommodation and loading occurring at intermediate points in the journey;
‘keeper’ means any natural or legal person, except a transporter, in charge of or handling animals whether on a permanent or temporary basis;
‘livestock vessel’ means a vessel which is used or intended to be used for the carriage of domestic Equidae or domestic animals of bovine, ovine, caprine or porcine species other than a roll-on-roll-off vessel, and other than a vessel carrying animals in moveable containers;
‘long journey’ means a journey that exceeds 8 hours, starting from when the first animal of the consignment is moved;
‘means of transport’ means road or rail vehicles, vessels and aircraft used for the transport of animals;
‘navigation systems’ means satellite-based infrastructures providing global, continuous, accurate and guaranteed timing and positioning services or any technology providing services deemed equivalent for the purpose of this Regulation;
‘official veterinarian’ means the veterinarian appointed by the competent authority of the Member State;
‘organiser’ means:
a transporter who has subcontracted to at least one other transporter for a part of a journey; or
a natural or legal person who has contracted to more than one transporter for a journey; or
a person who has signed Section 1 of the journey log as set out in Annex II;
‘place of departure’ means the place at which the animal is first loaded on to a means of transport provided that it had been accommodated there for at least 48 hours prior to the time of departure.
However, assembly centres approved in accordance with Community veterinary legislation may be considered as place of departure provided that:
the distance travelled between the first place of loading and the assembly centre is less than 100 km; or
the animals have been accommodated with sufficient bedding, untied, if possible, and watered for at least six hours prior to the time of departure from the assembly centre;
‘place of destination’ means the place at which an animal is unloaded from a means of transport and
accommodated for at least 48 hours prior to the time of departure; or
slaughtered;
‘place of rest or transfer’ means any stop during the journey which is not a place of destination, including a place where animals have changed the means of transport, with or without being unloaded;
‘registered Equidae’ means registered Equidae as referred to in Directive 90/426/EEC(3);
‘roll-on-roll-off vessel’ means a sea-going vessel with facilities to enable road or rail vehicles to roll on and roll off the vessel;
‘transport’ means the movement of animals effected by one or more means of transport and the related operations, including loading, unloading, transfer and rest, until the unloading of the animals at the place of destination is completed;
‘transporter’ means any natural or legal person transporting animals on his own account, or for the account of a third party;
‘unbroken Equidae’ means Equidae that cannot be tied or led by a halter without causing avoidable excitement, pain or suffering;
‘vehicle’ means a means of transport fitted with wheels which is propelled or towed.
No person shall transport animals or cause animals to be transported in a way likely to cause injury or undue suffering to them.
In addition, the following conditions shall be complied with:
all necessary arrangements have been made in advance to minimise the length of the journey and meet animals' needs during the journey;
the animals are fit for the journey;
the means of transport are designed, constructed, maintained and operated so as to avoid injury and suffering and ensure the safety of the animals;
the loading and unloading facilities are adequately designed, constructed, maintained and operated so as to avoid injury and suffering and ensure the safety of the animals;
the personnel handling animals are trained or competent as appropriate for this purpose and carry out their tasks without using violence or any method likely to cause unnecessary fear, injury or suffering;
the transport is carried out without delay to the place of destination and the welfare conditions of the animals are regularly checked and appropriately maintained;
sufficient floor area and height is provided for the animals, appropriate to their size and the intended journey;
water, feed and rest are offered to the animals at suitable intervals and are appropriate in quality and quantity to their species and size.
OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56. Directive as last amended by the 2003 Act of Accession.
OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29. Directive as last amended by Directive 2002/33/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 315, 19.11.2002, p. 14).
OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 42. Directive as last amended by Directive 2004/68/EC (OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 320).