Robert Evans MEP Labour's spokesperson in the European Parliament on animal welfare today called upon the European Commission to take steps towards a total ban on bull fighting in the European Union. In a written declaration to the Parliament, Mr Evans dismissed the traditional arguments in defence of bullfighting portraying it as part of Europe's cultural heritage stating instead that: "This is torture disguised as 'entertainment', which results in the death of over 40,000 bulls a year."
He also highlighted the anomaly whereby some European farm subsidies find their way into the pockets of farmers rearing bulls for ritual slaughter in the bull ring.
Robert Evans MEP continued:
"It is unacceptable that this repulsive practice still continues in the 21 century, the European Parliament wants the European Commission and the people of Spain, Portugal and southern France to stand up and be counted on this subject. It is a bizarre situation when Europe is prepared to protect animals in the farming sector while still allowing bulls to be publicly slaughtered in a painful and degrading way for so called 'public entertainment'.
"We need action and a clear plan for legislation from the Commission not more platitudes and soft options."
The League Against Cruel Sports is adding its full support to this written declaration. Bullfighting campaigner, Jordi Casamitjana said,
“It’s becoming increasingly obvious that bullfighting no longer has a future, even in Spain, its heartland. Bullrings rely heavily on subsidies from local governments just to survive. Hundreds of bulls are slaughtered in Spain, France and Portugal on a regular basis. They die a slow agonising death. This archaic and brutal blood sport needs to end now”.
Robert Evans MEP is the leading MEP to have submitted a written declaration to the Parliament on the banning of bull fighting, which if signed by 391 MEPs (half the parliament) will become the policy of the European Parliament and force the Commission to make firm proposals.
In addition Robert Evans said:
"The ball is now firmly in the court of my fellow MEPs and the European Commission, they must now choose where they stand on this argument. Either they sign or support this declaration or they stay silent on a practice that has continued for far too long."
Ends
Editors notes:
A written declaration in the European Parliament is the equivalent of an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons. It is the traditional way in which MEPs force a matter of specific interest onto the agenda. It is hard to get sufficient signatures, but in the past animal welfare issues have succeeded.
Written declarations that have succeeded include a European ban on the import of seal products, on the live transport of animals and more recently on the import of cat and dog fur.
For a copy of the written declaration please go to:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/expert/writtenDecl/wdFastOngoing.do?language=EN#
For more information please contact the European Parliamentary Labour Party press officer, Matt Patterson on +32 479 790 053. Or Robert Evans MEP on: +44 7785 290546.
