12 April 2005 - Euro-MPs in Strasbourg have called for an end to subsidies of more than £50 million a year to exporters of live cattle from the EU to Africa and the Middle East.

More than 200,000 cattle are exported annually from the EU to Lebanon and Egypt, enduring journeys of up to ten days – and conditions already outlawed in the EU to prevent animal suffering.

Green MEP Caroline Lucas, who launched the bid today, said: “Animal welfare is a core concern of the European Parliament and MEPs have worked hard to improve minimum welfare standards and reduce the suffering and cruelty inflicted by the international trade in livestock.”

The South-East England MEP and Vice-President of the RSPCA added: “It is absolutely outrageous that taxpayers’ money is being used to fund a cruel long-distance trade in animals that causes such suffering.”

Dr Lucas joined a cross-party group of MEPs from across the EU to launch a ‘Written Declaration’ on the issue, the EU’s equivalent of an Early Day Motion at Westminster, calling for an immediate end to the subsidies – and the money saved to be redirected to animal welfare and protection schemes.

She added: “Farm animal welfare standards in the EU are far from perfect and this trade highlights how far we have still to go: Greens have demanded a complete end to all live animal exports, both within and beyond the EU.”

TV star and animal rights campaigner Joanna Lumley, who visited Brussels last week to raise awareness of the subsidised trans-continental cattle trade, said: “The EU has so much to be proud of but surely this is one trade that shames us all. I cannot bear to think that by paying my taxes I have unknowingly contributed to such suffering amongst the animals.”