What’s next for proposed EU regulations on animal transport?

Proposals for a new EU regulation on the protection of animals during transport which would have major implications for live exports from Ireland could come to the fore in the second half of 2026.

This is according to Joe Burke, beef and livestock sector manager with Bord Bia, who was speaking at last Friday’s Bord Bia Meat Market Seminar.

Burke gave an update on the proposals for a new EU Regulation published by the European Commission in December 2023.

He said that the draft text to replace the existing Regulation 1/2005 has not made much progress over the last two years and remains in what is termed as the “legislative negotiating phase” and is assigned to the agriculture and transport joint committees of the European Union.

This phase includes discussion and debate on amendments proposed by members of the European Parliament or MEPs.

Burke said that the proposals could come into the spotlight in the second half of 2026 during Ireland’s rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

He highlighted that it is possible that if these proposals aren’t progressed in the short-to-medium term that they may lapse and as such it is likely that they will return into focus during 2026.

Significant changes

Recapping on the proposals he said that the draft text in its current format would mean very significant changes and particularly for the trading and transport of unweaned calves.

With calves accounting for almost 64% of the 350,000 cattle exported live in 2025, there is a universal acceptance among the live export trade as to how the trade could be potentially affected.

The draft regulations include a maximum journey time of nine hours of transport, followed by a minimum of one hour of rest and a further maximum journey time of nine hours.

Feeding of milk replacer would be required after nine hours while new regulations are proposed for stocking densities and overhead height.

According to Burke, the effects of such could mean vehicle capacity could effectively be reduced by greater than 50%, with many transport trucks reduced from using three decks to two decks.

The proposals also include a minimum age of transport for calves of greater than five weeks of age and a minimum liveweight of 50kg.

It is important to note that these are proposals and that current regulations apply for transporting animals until any potential changes are signed in to law.