Prospective MEPs 2014 Your chance to tell us where you stand The Vegan Society is the first and oldest vegan organisation in the world, rep

Prospective MEPs 2014

Your chance to tell us where you stand

The Vegan Society is the first and oldest vegan organisation in the world, representing tens of thousands of EU voters. Our supporters are very interested to hear your views and your party’s policies in the following issues. Please forward your responses by email to Amanda Baker on policy@vegansociety.com so we can share with them as they prepare to vote for Europe.

Human rights: The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Article 10 ‘Freedom of thought, conscience and religion’ gives the right to manifest our vegan philosophical beliefs, in teaching and practice, and Article 21 ‘Non-discrimination’ prohibits discrimination against vegans. How do your party’s policies develop practical protection of these rights - including vegans in institutional settings e.g. children in schools, patients in hospitals, people in justice systems, workers and others?

One of our party's key policies is to promote healthy plant-based diets because we believe healthy, plant based diets are better for human health, the environment and of course, animal welfare. All of our Committee of National Officers, 7 of our 8 candidates for the London Region in the EU elections and many of our members and supporters are vegan. Therefore this is an issue that is of extreme importance to us.

On page 53 of our manifesto we draw attention to the following:

Veganism has been a protected belief since 1993, as a human right under Article 9 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights. Animal Welfare Party will strive for this right to be respected within the UK and across the EU.

On page 38 of our manifesto we draw attention to the following:

Protecting Human Health

Good health should be viewed as one of our most valuable assets. In an era of rising levels of obesity and preventable diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes, Animal Welfare Party believes that the promotion of healthy, plant-based diets, which are also low in alcohol, refined sugars and trans fats must be viewed as the foundation of good health policy. In addition we believe that exercise must be promoted.

Across Europe, we believe that there is much scope for those dispensing advice on diet – medical, nursing and education professionals to update their knowledge on the value of plant-based nutrition and for European citizens to reap the benefits of being better informed on what constitutes a healthy diet.

Plant-centred diets - at least seven portions of vegetables and fruit daily - have great public health impact, cutting premature death by over 40% (Oyebode et. al 2014). What are your party’s policies on :

Promoting plant-centred diets for public health?

Monitoring and reporting on the public health effectiveness of Member State plant-centred nutrition strategies compared to EU and world best practice?

Research and support for the transition to sustainable plant-based protein production and human consumption, away from animal protein.

Animal Welfare Party's long term vision is of a Europe that has completely ended its dependence on animal products because we have come to understand the devastating effects that such dependence has upon the environment, human health and animal welfare.

We would like to see EU subsidies of livestock and fisheries farming (currently averaging 50 billion euros per year) re-directed into into plant-based agriculture.

We would like to see healthy plant-based eating promoted through public health and education campaigns across Europe. We also believe that wherever public funds are spent on the promotion, purchase or subsidy of foodstuffs, for example to provide meals for those in schools, hospitals, the armed forces or government workplaces, this should be limited to healthy, plant-based foodstuffs.

The following extract from Page 9 of our EU Parliament manifesto may be of interest.

Food

No food wastage

Worldwide there is more than enough food cultivated to feed the growing world population, but too much is being wasted. If we want to fairly share resources, we have to eat less animal and more plant products. Such a shift is imperative in terms of global food security but it would also bring huge benefits for our own health, reducing pressure on our national health systems, nature and the environment.

By far the largest and most irresponsible type of food wastage is the feeding of animals with food that can also be eaten by humans. Grains, soya and vegetable oils should not be used as a raw material for the livestock industry.
The Animal Welfare Party believes Europe should end the illusion that the production of meat and dairy products has minimal costs. Until we have ended our dependence upon such products, cut-price special offers on meat should disappear, and a fair price be paid for milk and eggs.
In accordance with the 'polluter pays' principle the EU should reconsider its VAT Directive: a low rate should be set for sustainable, healthy food and a high rate for products that involve environmental burden, animal distress and contribute to preventable disease
Eating healthy and sustainably starts at school. European school milk schemes should cease, and schemes for healthy, plant-based meals should be extended, for which organic and sustainable food should be purchased. Learning how to eat healthy and sustainably should be included in the curriculum.
The subsidy of millions of euros that are currently spent on the promotion of animal products should be ended immediately with the funds being re-directed into marketing and promotion of plant products.
National governments must show leadership themselves, reducing public spending on the promotion and consumption of foodstuffs that are known to be harmful to the environment and / or human health – animal products, refined sugar, trans-fats, palm oil from unsustainable or unknown sources
At the same time national governments must seek to both change consumer behaviour in order to promote a healthy and sustainable world. Taxes on products containing refined sugar, trans-fats, palm oil from unsustainable or unknown sources, animal products (relative to CO2 equivalent) and alcohol should be increased.
The EU should support the establishment of industry bodies promoting the production and consumption of healthy, plant-based foods
The EU must increase funding of research into and development of plant-based proteins.
An EU Sub Committee of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee should be established to promote best practice in plant-based food production.
Food products must be labelled clearly to allow consumers to make choices in line with their own principles on the environment, health, animal welfare and the social circumstances in which a product is produced. Many consumers are unaware of the reality of how the food products they buy are produced and are shocked when they find out the truth. Labels must, therefore, provide honest and clear information on the above. For example, eggs and egg products which involve the killing of new-born male chicks as part of the production process must indicate this. Meat and poultry products obtained from animals not stunned before slaughter must indicate this. Misleading pictures such as laughing pigs on pork steaks and laughing cows on packets of cheese must become a thing of the past.
Private quality marks are not a sufficient guarantee of sustainable food supply chains. The EU must set strict sustainability criteria for palm oil, soya and biomass.
Many European regulations on best-before-dates and size and shape of fruit and vegetables are too strict and encourage food wastage. These food regulations should be changed. Citizens should be well informed of the shelf-life of food and how to keep it, and, as a result, less food will end up in the bin.
Europe should stimulate the development of urban growing to show children and adults where food actually comes from, to recover the connection between people and food and to improve awareness of the costs and quality of food.
To counter mass-produced products, frequently manufactured outwith the EU, we would like to encourage more traditional and local plant-based products. The EU will amend food regulations that unnecessarily hinder the marketing of these products.
The effort to achieve a more sustainable food pattern requires a clear standard: plant-based food should be the basis of a healthy, sustainable diet; animal proteins should be the exception.
Opinion leaders, influencers and policy makers should walk the talk. Food served in the restaurants of European institutions and at official dinners should be organic and produced locally. As it would be irresponsible for public funds to be spent on the consumption of foodstuffs that are known to be harmful to the environment and/or human health, the food served should be free of or include a minimum of animal products, refined sugar and trans-fats.

Climate change and Stock-free farming Moving away from animal farming – to food, fuel and other crops for direct human use – can significantly cut EU greenhouse gas emissions. What are your party’s policies on supporting EU farmers who wish to move toward horticulture, arable farming, agro-forestry and other crop farming, away from the ‘livestock’ industry?

Animal Welfare Party would like to see European agricultural policy thoroughly reformed. In the interest of a sustainable future, we aim for a radical change of policy into an ecological, animal-friendly agriculture that produces healthy food and which is not dependent on imports at the expense of people and animals abroad.

The world population currently sits at around 7 billion, expected to rise to between 8 and 10 billion by 2050. To be able to feed everybody, now and in the future, a reduction of livestock and a transition to a more plant-based food pattern is inevitable.

We want to use the present agricultural subsidies to help farmers to transition to sustainable production systems with a fair price for a fair product. Ultimately, the system of subsidies will cease to be necessary because a healthy market will have been created.

CAP spending on better agriculture

The CAP budget takes up 38% of the total EU Budget for the next five years. The focus on sustainability within the second pillar is clearly visible by the fact that at least 30% of the budget of each Rural Development programme must be reserved for voluntary measures that are beneficial for the environment and climate change. These include agri–environmental, climate measures, organic farming, Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC), Natura 2000 areas, forestry measures and investments that are beneficial for the environment or climate. Over 25 billion Euros over five years will be available under Pillar 2 ‘Voluntary Measures’

We suggest that this should be spent on stock-free organic farming, agro-forestry and sustainable educational recreation, in order to ensure farmers’ livelihoods well into the future.
CAP Pillars should be revised post-2020 to reflect self-sustaining agricultural systems.
We should reduce the overall CAP budget post-2020 so that funds can be directed towards emerging priorities.
Post 2020: CAP payments should only to be awarded to farmers complying with minimum environmental, social and animal welfare standards
We must end Pillar 2 (Regional Development) funding of Bullfighting

A healthy market for healthy food

The value of sustainable, honest food should be reflected in the price we pay. The real price for food is concealed by subsidies costing millions of euros, giving consumers the impression that food is cheap. Furthermore, the real costs of intensive agriculture, which are kept out of sight of citizens, are shifted onto the environment and society. A change to a sustainable food system is needed, giving farmers a fair price for their quality products.

The Common Agricultural Policy needs to be thoroughly reformed. The millions of euros of subsidies currently paid to farmers must begin to be used more responsibly and with more thought for the long term. This budget must encourage farmers to change to ecological agriculture working towards a point where subsidies are ended altogether.
Research budgets for agriculture should be awarded to agro-ecological practices, the development of closed loop recycling in ecosystems and the development of resistant crop varieties. EU funds must no longer be awarded to research that is aimed at further intensification of non-sustainable factory farming.
European subsidies should be exclusively awarded on the basis of social services and performances that contribute to a sustainable, social and animal-friendly Europe. As long as the agricultural policy remains unreformed, only appropriate agricultural practices and sustainable water management should be rewarded.
The European subsidies that fall under the second pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy should exclusively be awarded to ecological agriculture.
Member States should be given the opportunity to take measures to ensure that farmers, growers and dairy/cattle farmers can obtain a fair price for their products. This will restrict the buying power of supermarkets.
To mitigate the effects of food speculation on global food security, food speculation should be limited.
The production of surpluses of meat, eggs and dairy products should become impermissible. 'Buy-outs', such as those that take place in times of surpluses and that are paid for with tax revenue should be prevented.

Food security: What are your party’s policies on reaping the potential of accessible and nutritious plant-based food to ensure food security for European and global citizens?

By far the largest and most irresponsible type of food wastage is the feeding of animals with food that can also be eaten by humans. Grains, soya and vegetable oils should not be used as a raw material for the livestock industry.
The EU should support the establishment of industry bodies promoting the production and consumption of healthy, plant-based foods
The EU must increase funding of research into and development of plant-based proteins.
An EU Sub Committee of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee should be established to promote best practice in plant-based food production.
Plant and animal species and varieties should not be the property of companies and our food supply should not be placed in the hands of monopolists. Patents on forms of life (such as genetic material, DNA markers) must be prohibited. Europe must resist the efforts of companies such as Monsanto and BASF to patent the genes of plants and animals and to dominate the food market.
The right of farmers and cultivators to grow the seeds of their own plants (Plant Breeder's Rights), is of great importance to maintain diversity in food crops and free access to them. The Animal Welfare Party wants these rights to be strengthened, both in Europe and in developing countries, so that farmers and cultivators can make free use of the existing agro-biodiversity without patents making it impossible to do so.
Accounting rules may not hinder the free trade of seeds. The interest of small farmers, horticulturists and food security should be favoured. Rare and old crop varieties must be given protection. The Animal Welfare Party resists any new rules that would endanger the biodiversity of crops.
The development of organic resistant varieties of crops must be able to count on the support of the EU.
The Animal Welfare Party opposes the cultivation and importation of genetically modified crops anywhere in Europe.
EU Member States must not be forced to permit the cultivation of GM crops on their territory. Until the full prohibition of import and cultivation is achieved, we want Member States and regions to be given the authority to prohibit the cultivation of GM crops. Furthermore, when assessing these crops and new breeding techniques, the impact on food security, freedom of choice, and the position of small farmers must also be accurately assessed.
Labelling for meat, dairy products and eggs from animals that are fed with GM crops must become mandatory.
Europe will not support efforts to keep cisgenesis (a form of genetic manipulation), a so-called innocent variant of classic breeding, out of the risk assessments and licence issuance for genetic engineering.
New breeding techniques must be thoroughly assessed on their impact on humans, animals, the environment, nature and food security.
Additionally, regions and countries that declare themselves GM-technology free should be given support and assistance.

Non-human animals in testing, science and education Research on non-human animals frequently fails to predict the actual effects on humans. What are your party’s policies to improve the quality of testing, science and education by replacing the use of non-human animals with the wide range of proven effective alternatives?

Phasing out animal testing

Animal Welfare Party finds animal experimentation morally objectionable. Over twelve million animals are used for research and testing in Europe every year but many of the experiments in which animals are currently used, are superfluous to requirements, don't significantly advance knowledge or understanding and, in some cases, make no sense. Furthermore, animal-free techniques deliver better knowledge about human health. We must therefore phase out animal experimentation with binding targets for reduction, combined with funding and support for alternatives. Animal experiments must be replaced by humane, modern techniques in which animals do not suffer. Whilst animal experiments continue, public scrutiny must be increased.

The use of primates in animal experiments must end immediately.
The use of animals for xenotransplantation must end immediately.
Genetic manipulation (including cloning) of animals must end immediately.
A deadline must be set to end the “severe” suffering testing category, which may involve such morally reprehensible procedures as forcing an animal to run until he/she becomes exhausted or repeated electric shock treatment to induce a state of ‘learned helplessness’.
Following the trade ban on cosmetics tested on animals, animal experiments for household product ingredients and novel food ingredients must now be banned throughout Europe.
Europe must endeavour to ensure the strict observance of the trade ban on cosmetics that have been tested on animals.
We seek a ban on all harmful use of animals within biomedical research, toxicity testing and education. Only non-harmful use should be permitted. Examples include non-invasive observational or behavioural studies of domesticated species, or non-domesticated species within sanctuaries or the wild; the education of veterinary students via participation in beneficial clinical procedures on genuine animal patients; and experimental treatment of animal patients, genuinely suffering from severe, naturally-occurring disease or injury, when conventional treatment is not effective.
Immediate, quantitative, binding targets for reductions in animal use should be set in all countries using animals, with the aim of eventually replacing all harmful animal use with non-harmful or non-animal alternatives.
Criteria to approve animal experiment licence applications should become harder to meet. We want applications for animal experiments to be subject to much stricter requirements, i.e. a prior extensive literature review. Applications for experiments that are not deemed to be of significant importance, such as health claims on foods, should not be granted.
Mandatory, independent ethical review of all experimental protocols should be implemented as a condition of licensing, with ample opportunity for prior, independent and public scrutiny of such protocols.
The composition of ethics committees must be balanced to allow for more expert animal welfare opinion.
Mandatory retrospective evaluation should be introduced to assess the degree to which experimental objectives were successfully met, the extent to which animals suffered, to help inform both future research and further experimental licensing decisions.
Mandatory compliance should be a prerequisite for (public) funding of experiments, license approval, and publication of results, with a range of best practice standards, and each of the 3Rs: replacement, reduction and refinement of animal use implemented before and during experiments. These would include: minimum standards relating to animal sourcing, housing, environmental enrichment, opportunities for social interaction for social species, appropriate use of anaesthetics and analgesics (painkillers), animal handling, non-invasive endpoints, and statistical input during experimental design.
Experimental duplication happens far too often and is quite simply unjustifiable. We call for mandatory prompt, public sharing of all experimental results, to avoid this sad state of affairs from continuing.
In the UK, we are supportive of all efforts to repeal Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
Europe must no longer permit animal experiments for the development of patents and should amend the patent directive to avoid duplication of animal experiments.
Funding for the further development, scientific validation and implementation of alternative methodologies should be substantially increased. Specifically, more funding and support should be given to the EU Reference lab, ECVAM, so that the validation process for alternatives can be expedited from taking years to months, and for those alternatives to be applied throughout Europe without delay.
A minimum of 80 million Euros a year should to be ring-fenced and put towards the development of non-animal alternatives. This figure represents a small proportion of the total EU science budget but could play a huge role in ending the use of animals in experiments.
The EU must establish well-funded national Centres of Excellence in the Development of Alternatives to Animal Use, in all countries where such animal use exists.
We call for increased, compulsory training and continuing professional development in experimental best practice standards and alternative methodologies for all animal researchers and technicians.
The breeding of lab animals and killing of surplus animals must end.
We believe there is a moral imperative to provide independently-scrutinised sanctuaries, maintained to high welfare standards, funded by industries and sectors using animals, for those animals retired from laboratory animal use, in which such animals shall be housed for the remainder of their natural lives.

Non-human animals in entertainment Animals suffer needlessly even in so-called ‘good’ zoos, circuses, race-tracks and other entertainment venues. What are your party’s policies to end the use of non-human animals in entertainment?

Culture and traditions are no excuse for animal suffering

The life and welfare of animals is important. Their interests should cease to be subordinate to culture or religion. Therefore we seek an end to the suffering of animals as a result of cultural traditions, ‘sports’ and entertainment. The Animal Welfare Party believes that:

European agreements must be amended in such a way that the interests of animals are no longer subordinate to culture or religion.
Harmful animal use should not be permitted in any type of art, fashion, cultural exhibition or entertainment.
Bullfighting must be banned.
Until such a ban is in force all subsides granted to this cruel industry must end – including the estimated 129.6 million euros per year currently being spent on rearing bulls for bullfighting.
Turning a blind eye to practices such as collection of lapwings' eggs and illegal bird hunting in Malta, Italy and France must end, and relevant Directives should be enforced.
Due to the immense suffering endured by thousands of animals in the racing industries, betting on racing animals, such as horses and dogs, must end. All organised commercial forms of racing animals must be banned.
Europe must prohibit games where hares are chased and torn apart by hounds (coursing).
Pigeon racing and angling should be brought to an end.
The use of harmful training methods, as seen in some equestrian sports, must be prohibited.
The docking of horse tails must be prohibited.
Horse markets must become a thing of the past.
The use of animals, wild or domestic, in circuses must be banned. The EU should support sanctuaries to relocate former circus animals to live out their lives.
Europe must support projects providing veterinary treatment to working horses and mules and assist community workers in mobilising equine owners to improve the welfare of their animals.
Sanctuaries for retired working horses and mules must be supported by the EU.

Zoos become sanctuaries

The exhibition and display of animals in zoos is an outdated concept. In zoos animals are only able to exhibit their natural behaviour in a limited way. This often leads to apathetic and abnormal behaviour. Zoos kill healthy animals who they can no longer use or are too expensive to keep. The Animal Welfare Party finds this unacceptable and believes a change in the purpose of zoos is necessary.

The number of zoos in Europe should be drastically reduced. Existing zoos should not expand and new animal zoos should not be established. Zoos that fail to comply with the European Zoos Directive should be the first to close. Animals from zoos that are being closed should be given adequate refuge in sanctuaries or zoos with higher welfare standards.
All zoos should be transitioning towards becoming animal-free zoos or animal sanctuaries.
Until zoos have ceased to exist, the EU must ensure that all zoos meet and improve on minimum animal welfare standards.
Existing enclosures should be improved to ensure compliance with the highest welfare standards. Enclosures that house species that are unfit for captivity should be closed. The housing of animals must resemble their natural living conditions as much as possible.
The breeding of species kept in zoos that are not included within conservation or re-introduction programmes should be banned.
Conservation programmes in native habitats rather than captivity should be supported to mitigate habitat destruction by urban development and farming.
Zoos must serve as a sanctuary for animals who cannot be re-socialised and or rehabilitated in their original living environment or who cannot be relocated for other reasons.
Dolphinariums, aquaria and establishments that have animals on display must be phased out and new establishments banned.
Providing shelter to sea mammals in need must be the only purpose of keeping them in captivity.

Common Agricultural Policy

How can Pillar 1 Basic Payments be used to reward environmentally sustainable practices which also benefit non-human animals?

How can Pillar 1 Green Direct Payments be used to support farmers who wish to move away from unsustainable ‘livestock’ farming?

How can Pillar 1 Payments be used to move away from imported non-EU animal feed, to significantly reduce GHG emissions?

Pillars 1 & 2 An estimated over €129.6 million in EU subsidies has been used to support bull cattle ‘fiestas’ and the ‘Toros’ industry in Spain (http://www.greens-efa.eu/fileadmin/dam/Documents/Studies/2013-5%20Bullfighting%20subsidies%20report.pdf). What steps will your party take to end this support?

Pillar 2: Rural Development. For each such programme, 30% of the budget is reserved for voluntary measures beneficial to the environment. How can Pillar 2 Rural Development Payments be used to help farmers who wish to move away from the ‘livestock’ industry?

2 Healthy agriculture, sustainable food

Agriculture is not an industry and animals are not machines. If we close the natural nutrient cycles and farmers are able to work in harmony with nature again, and if consumers pay a fair price for healthy food, we can work towards a healthy agriculture. Where, in the short term, until we have realised our need to end our dependence upon them, animals can express their natural behaviour, outside, and are treated with respect. Where vegetables, grains and fruit are produced without pesticides, fertilizer and GM technology. Where we create a healthy market that is not affected by subsidies, but where food has real value. Where there are short food supply chains between farmers and consumers. Those are the ingredients of the agricultural policy that the Animal Welfare Party envisages for the European Union.

Agriculture has always been the policy area that Brussels pays most attention to and spends most money on. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has created many victims. Over the years, billions of animals have suffered and been killed in the European livestock industry. Nature and the environment have been seriously affected by the large scale use of pesticides and fertilizers. Family farms have been forced onto the disastrous road of being ever more productive. Markets in developing countries have often been destroyed by the dumping of European surpluses. And all this at the expense of the taxpayer. Despite the free market that Europe says that it wishes to create, tens of billions of euros are spent on agricultural subsidies every year, particularly benefiting large companies. The largest part of the European budget is gobbled up by industrial agriculture.

Sadly, the wealth of Europe is largely based on the exploitation of people, animals and the environment in other parts of the world. The EU makes large and irresponsible demands on global resources and agricultural lands by its resource use and the importation of food, livestock and biomass. By doing so, it denies people in developing countries their justifiable share. European subsidies to farmers and fishermen deny entrepreneurs in developing countries a fair chance.

If it were up to the Animal Welfare Party, European agricultural policy would be thoroughly reformed. In the interest of a sustainable future, we aim for a radical change of policy into an ecological, animal-friendly agriculture that produces healthy food and which is not dependent on imports at the expense of people and animals abroad.

CAP spending on better agriculture

We suggest that this should be spent on stock-free organic farming, agro-forestry and sustainable educational recreation, in order to ensure farmers’ livelihoods well into the future.
CAP Pillars should be revised post-2020 to reflect self-sustaining agricultural systems.
We should reduce the overall CAP budget post-2020 so that funds can be directed towards emerging priorities.
Post 2020: CAP payments should only to be awarded to farmers complying with minimum environmental, social and animal welfare standards
We must end Pillar 2 (Regional Development) funding of Bullfighting

A healthy market for healthy food

The Common Agricultural Policy needs to be thoroughly reformed. The millions of euros of subsidies currently paid to farmers must begin to be used more responsibly and with more thought for the long term. This budget must encourage farmers to change to ecological agriculture working towards a point where subsidies are ended altogether.
Research budgets for agriculture should be awarded to agro-ecological practices, the development of closed loop recycling in ecosystems and the development of resistant crop varieties. EU funds must no longer be awarded to research that is aimed at further intensification of non-sustainable factory farming.
European subsidies should be exclusively awarded on the basis of social services and performances that contribute to a sustainable, social and animal-friendly Europe. As long as the agricultural policy remains unreformed, only appropriate agricultural practices and sustainable water management should be rewarded.
The European subsidies that fall under the second pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy should exclusively be awarded to ecological agriculture.
Member States should be given the opportunity to take measures to ensure that farmers, growers and dairy/cattle farmers can obtain a fair price for their products. This will restrict the buying power of supermarkets.
To mitigate the effects of food speculation on global food security, food speculation should be limited.
The production of surpluses of meat, eggs and dairy products should become impermissible. 'Buy-outs', such as those that take place in times of surpluses and that are paid for with tax revenue should be prevented.

What are your party’s policies on neonicotinoids and restoring EU bee populations?

Pesticide-free vegetables and diverse horticulture

Vegetables, grains, legumes and fruit are the foundation of good, healthy diet. But here, a change to sustainable production methods is also necessary. The cultivation of vegetables should no longer be dependent on raw fossil materials (fertilizer). The high use of pesticides severely harms biodiversity, is a threat to our drinking water and to public health. Monocultures make it increasingly difficult for insects and birds to find sufficient food.

The Animal Welfare Party wants to drastically reduce the use of fertilizers and agrotoxins and to have them replaced by ecological alternatives.
Field margins, which enhance biodiversity and accommodate natural enemies for pests, should be obligatory.
Hazardous chemical pesticides that pose a risk for people and animals must be taken off the market immediately. These include neonicotinoids, which also cause bee mortality, glyphosate, the soil fumigator metam-sodium and a large number of fungi controllers that form a threat to public health.
So long as agriculture is not toxin-free, there will be strict protection for people living around arable and horticultural areas to protect them against exposure to chemical pesticides. Non-spray zones must be created between fields that are sprayed with pesticides and houses, schools and recreational areas. Spraying will not be permitted in the vicinity of public roads and paths where people walk or cycle.
All chemical pesticides currently on the market must be re-tested against much stricter criteria, whereby the precautionary principle will be applied. No animal testing will be conducted for this. Only pesticides that are demonstrably safe for humans, animals and the environment should be permitted to remain on the market.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) must be thoroughly reformed. This organisation, and the commission that writes recommendations on the admission of pesticides and genetically modified crops, must be completely independent. We want to end the close relationship that exists between the EFSA and the chemical industry.
Pesticides and GM crops must be independently tested. Studies provided by producers themselves should not be considered sufficient to ensure safety. The recommendations of the EFSA and the studies that these are based on must comply with the highest standards of transparency and accessibility. Any studies that have been used to inform a decision to admit a pesticide must be made public, retroactively, so that independent scientists are able to criticise the admission.
Plant and animal species and varieties should not be the property of companies and our food supply should not be placed in the hands of monopolists. Patents on forms of life (such as genetic material, DNA markers) must be prohibited. Europe must resist the efforts of companies such as Monsanto and BASF to patent the genes of plants and animals and to dominate the food market.
The right of farmers and cultivators to grow the seeds of their own plants (Plant Breeder's Rights), is of great importance to maintain diversity in food crops and free access to them. The Animal Welfare Party wants these rights to be strengthened, both in Europe and in developing countries, so that farmers and cultivators can make free use of the existing agro-biodiversity without patents making it impossible to do so.
Accounting rules may not hinder the free trade of seeds. The interest of small farmers, horticulturists and food security should be favoured. Rare and old crop varieties must be given protection. The Animal Welfare Party resists any new rules that would endanger the biodiversity of crops.
The development of organic resistant varieties of crops must be able to count on the support of the EU.
Restoring EU bee populations?
3. More nature
The natural world, containing a diversity of plants, animals and ecosystems, is the most valuable thing on the planet and thus deserves to be carefully protected. Furthermore, the diversity of marine and land species are the foundation of our existence. Without healthy oceans and forests there is no clean air to breath. Without biodiversity there is no healthy soil to grow our food. It is our duty to ensure a healthy planet, now and in the future.
Global biodiversity is in crisis: every day, plant and animal species become extinct and the balance of ecosystems is disrupted. The EU must take its share for the blame in the loss of natural resources elsewhere on the planet. Large-scale imports of soya, timber and palm oil into Europe are at the direct expense of tropical rainforests and primary forests, while overfishing by the European fishing fleet is significantly harming marine ecosystems worldwide.
The environment and biodiversity are also under threat in Europe. Almost 25% of Europe's wild species face extinction. Furthermore, most of the ecosystems are so severely compromised they are no longer able to provide their valuable services. This damage also poses a threat to food security and causes the EU to incur huge social and economic losses.
The Animal Welfare Party seeks to increase the protection of the environment and natural world and desires the EU to end its contribution to environmental destruction. We want the EU to lead the way in tackling the biodiversity crisis and not wait until other world players, or non-governmental organisations, take action.
More nature in Europe
Protect and repair the environment
Despite all the fine words about the essence of maintaining biodiversity, in practice the environment is hardly protected at all. European Directives are not adhered to or enforced too late, and some Member States are trying to renege on these agreements in order to prioritise economic development over environmental protection. The EU is currently not meeting the promises to achieve the 2010 Biodiversity Target made at UN level (Convention on Biological Diversity, CBD) to halt biodiversity loss. We simply cannot afford to sacrifice more natural capital for short-term gain. We must ensure EU environmental policies are successfully implemented in key areas of water management, forest conservation, agriculture, fisheries and biodiversity restoration and preservation. The Animal Welfare Party believes we should:
End environmentally harmful subsidies (CAP and fossil fuels)
Shift to green economies by making resource efficiency, reuse, reduce and recycling a reality
Give real value to nature (services, ecological value, and ‘unused’ value, e.g. by leaving certain resources in the ground in areas of outstanding natural beauty or scientific interest)
Make private investments more sustainable and increase tax on environmentally damaging products
The EU must draw up a Biodiversity Delta Plan. Subsidies that are harmful to biodiversity should be immediately abolished and biodiversity loss will have substantially diminished by 2020.
The Biodiversity plan must include steps to avoid the decline of Europe’s network of protected areas.
A robust European Natural Network of corridors should be established so that species can migrate between different areas and ecosystems and populations become more resilient. At least 25% of the land and fresh water surface would be protected, and connecting the Natura 2000-zones would be given priority.
Everyone has the right to a green and healthy living environment. The EU must stimulate the greening of urban areas with a view to public health, climate and biodiversity. A standard for urban greening should be implemented that, at least, reflects the standard used by the United Nations (48 m2 of green space per villager or urban citizen).
Revive EU’s rivers and lakes to ecological health.
Obstacles in European rivers that obstruct the migration of fish and cause fish fatalities should be removed. New pumping stations and drainage installations must be fish-friendly.
Existing European environmental agreements such as Natura 2000, the Water Framework Directive and the National Emissions Ceilings Directive (e.g. for ammonia) are required to limit the environmental damage caused by the EU's Common Agricultural Policy. Environmental agreements will therefore not be relaxed, but tightened up and strictly observed.
The Animal Welfare Party seeks to preserve and protect at least 25% of European seas by designating them as marine reserves. No activities harmful to marine ecosystems will be permitted in this network of natural marine areas, including fishing boats or industrial activities. Important breeding grounds, such as the Mediterranean where the endangered tuna mates, will be closed to the hunting of these animals.
Shipwrecks are hotspots for marine biodiversity and will be protected as much as possible.

Fishing techniques that severely harm marine ecosystems, i.e. deep-sea and beam trawl fishing must be banned.

Common Fisheries Policy: What are your party’s policies on protecting both endangered and other fish in European waters?

Fish

Restricting catches

Worldwide, over a trillion fish and marine animals are killed every year. European fishery is responsible for the structural overfishing of European waters. No less than 88% of fish species are overfished and 30% may not recover to their original numbers. Aided by EU subsidies, European fishing fleets also plunder fishing banks outside Europe, for example, offshore Africa. The Animal Welfare Party believes we must:

Abolish fishery subsidies.
Continue in our ambition to end overfishing.
Combat illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing.
The precautionary principle must be applied to the EU Common Fisheries Policy. Fishing quotas must no longer be set at a level higher than that considered responsible by independent marine biologists. If there is no scientific information available, fishing should not be allowed or considerable safety margins should be incorporated with a very low fishing quota.
In places where ecosystems and fishing banks are degraded, a moratorium on fishing must be called for to give nature a chance to recover.
A fishing ban on the most vulnerable fish species, such as eel, cod and tuna must be implemented in the short term.
The EU should rapidly scale down the overcapacity of the European fishing fleet. The fishing capacity of the fleet should not be any larger than the ecosystems European waters can support.
Fish that are caught in nets or by longlines experience immense suffering before death. The Animal Welfare Party wants a prohibition on all methods of fishing and killing that involve long-term suffering and an end to slaughter without any prior stunning, such as percussive stunning and pithing.
We want to stop destructive fishing techniques. Monster trawlers, deep-sea fishing and beam trawls that destroy the seabed with their towed nets should be relegated to the past.
The existing arrangements to prevent harmful fishing practices must be strictly observed. The prohibition on dumping caught fish to catch commercially attractive fish (high grading) must be enforced by using cameras or supervision on board, at the expense of the sector.
The fishing vessels of ship-owners found to not be observing regulations must be chained.
The EU must strongly reduce by-catch by imposing a prohibition on non-selective fishing methods. If by-catch does occur and the animals have not survived, they must be landed and deducted from the catch quota, which will be lowered as a result.
The use of trammel must end since porpoises and other fish are frequently caught in these standing nets, causing them to suffocate.

No fish farms

Fish farms are a new way of factory farming and are no solution to the problem of overfishing: many farmed fish are fed with wild caught fish. They are unsustainable and far from animal-friendly. The frequent use of antibiotics and other chemicals on fish farms further compound these problems.

As long as the welfare of fish can't be guaranteed and fish farms are dependent on wild caught fish, the Animal Welfare Party seeks an end to permits issued for new fish farms
A test on animal welfare and sustainability should be implemented retrospectively for existing fish farms. If it cannot be demonstrated that the farming and keeping of fish is taking place in a sustainable and animal-friendly way, it should be prohibited.
Using a more humane method of killing must become obligatory.
Cooking lobsters, crabs and prawns alive must be prohibited.

If elected as an MEP for 2014-2019, which key policy issues do you intend to address related to:

Reducing the use of non-human animals for human purposes?

In addition to the points mentioned above, our policies also include:

1. The moral and legal status of animals

Animals are living creatures, not toys or accessories or a means of entertainment. Animals deserve protection. This starts with the recognition of their intrinsic value, which is independent of the value that people place upon them, and respect for their own needs. Such recognition should apply to all animals and define the limits of the purposes for which animals may be used.

Non-human animals are not property, but sentient beings. Article 6B of the Lisbon Treaty recognises animals as sentient beings, placing a duty upon Member States to protect their welfare. In fact, the European Union has recognised animals as sentient beings with feelings and consciousness since 1992. But, at the same time, Europe places cultural and religious traditions - such as bullfighting - above the interests of animals. Economic interests are given more consideration than the interests of animals. Production increase is, officially, still the only purpose of the agricultural policy. In everyday life, animals in Europe are primarily given the status of a commodity.

In addition to the billions of animals that die in the livestock industry every year, it is still permitted in Europe to breed animals and to kill them for a superfluous and cruel fashion product like fur. Tens of millions of minks, foxes, chinchillas and rabbits are victims of the fur industry every year. Bulls are tortured for 'entertainment' in Spain and France. Across Europe, thousands of dolphins and other sea mammals wither away in dolphinariums. Over twelve million animals are used for research and testing in Europe every year. Animal suffering in the EU is large-scale and serious.

The Animal Welfare Party rejects the notion that animals can be used for any purpose humans see fit. Entertainment, sport and fashion are not justifiable reasons for causing harm to or affecting the welfare of animals. We believe that before animals are used for a purpose, the legitimacy of that purpose should be assessed - after all, their life and welfare is at stake. Europe must become more reluctant towards the use of animals. The Animal Welfare Party will promote better protection against neglect, abuse and misuse. Europe should support that protection to a greater degree, both inside and outside its borders. At international level, for example the United Nations; we want the EU to demonstrate that it strongly advocates improvements in animal welfare.

Furthermore, evidence suggests a link between abuse of non-human animals and human violence. Several serial killers are known to have abused and killed other animals before ‘progressing’ to killing human beings. Many human health and social professionals are still not aware of this link and proper integration between human and animal services is lacking. Humans and animals may therefore be at risk.

Alongside the continuous need for improving human rights across the world, it is time to recognise other animals as beings in their own right. The Animal Welfare Party believes protection ultimately means animals are no longer used as a means to an end.

The Animal Welfare Party believes a consultation on the European Convention on Human Rights should include a question on reform to tackle its species exclusivity.
The Universal Declaration of Animal Rights was drawn up in 1978. The EU should revisit the proposed Declaration and support its premise.
A permanent Parliamentary Commission for Animal Interests should be established to assess acceptability of all forms of animal use on the basis of cost-benefit analyses.
The media has a huge role to play in influencing how animals are perceived. Despite animals being recognised as sentient beings in the Lisbon Treaty and a duty of care placed upon Member States to protect their welfare, animal suffering is still frequently trivialised in advertising campaigns and editorial content across Europe. Animal Welfare Party intends to push for bodies regulating advertising, broadcast and press content to view such issues with the seriousness they deserve and for these bodies to be better funded and supported, where the latter have been factors in their inaction.

Mapping a future without a livestock industry

Annually, across the EU, more than 7 billion animals are kept and slaughtered for the production of meat, dairy products and eggs. Such figures are unacceptable.

Animal Welfare Party's long-term vision is of a Europe that has ended its dependence upon animals and animal products because we have come to understand the devastating effects that such dependence has upon the environment, human health and animal welfare.

Our long-term vision is of a Europe that lives healthily and sustainably, and where animals are not exploited for any purpose.

Our Committee of National Officers and many of our members are already living such a lifestyle to 'walk our talk' and demonstrate that humans can thrive without the use of animal products.

It is not easy for any major Party to challenge the status quo on livestock farming but nothing short of a full scale re-evaluation is needed to combat climate change and preventable disease.

In the short term, Animal Welfare Party supports direct welfare measures which may positively impact animals’ lives now. Our support for welfare measures does not detract from our long-term goal of ending all animal abuse. We believe the very least animals deserve is appropriate species-specific husbandry and care, in accordance with the Five Freedoms. Any measures that restrict animals’ natural behaviour, social development and cause distress and harm through the course of their entire lives must be ended immediately and replaced with higher welfare alternatives.

The Animal Welfare Party believes that we must work towards an end to intensive livestock farming.

A roadmap must be introduced to enable a rapid shift to animal-friendly and sustainable livestock farming.
Factory farms and animal welfare do not go together. A European prohibition on the establishment and development of large-scale livestock farms must be introduced.
Small-scale livestock farm systems where the natural resistance of animals is central to good health must become the standard. The maximum number of animals permitted to be kept must be gradually lowered until livestock farms return to operating within humane standards and the limitations of the earth.

Increasing environmental sustainable plant agriculture?

Covered earlier in the response.

Using crop farming to increase global human food security?

Covered earlier in the response.

Thank you for taking the time to share your views and your party’s policies with our supporters. Finally, if you’d like to share, would you describe yourself as:

Vegan

Other, please describe:

I am a long term vegan (almost 20 years) and believe very strongly in setting positive examples of plant-based living, demonstrating that humans can thrive on plant-based diets. For this reason, I was also a founding member of Vegan Runners UK and continue to run with this group. (Vanessa Hudson, Party Leader and Lead Candidate, AWP, London Region).

All of our Committee of National Officers are vegan.

7 of our 8 candidates for the London Region in the EU elections are vegan. 1 is vegetarian.

Prospective MEPs 2014 Your chance to tell us where you stand The Vegan Society is the first and oldest vegan organisation in the world, rep

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