The European Convention and the protocol of Amendment to the European Convention for the Protection of animals kept for farming purposes give a framework of principles for the keeping, care and housing of animals, particularly in intensive breeding systems.
The Convention applies to animals bred or kept to produce food, wool, skin or fur or for other farming purposes, and it concerns especially animals in intensive stock-farming systems.
The protection guaranteed by the Convention aims to avoid unnecessary suffering or injury, having regard to the condition of housing, food or administered care. To preserve well-being of animals, the Convention imposes on Parties the obligations to inspect the condition and state of health of animals and the technical equipment used in intensive stock-farming systems.
The Convention establishes Standing Committee which monitors its application. The Committee is responsible for the elaboration and adoption of the recommendations to the Parties, to express an advisory opinion, to facilitate a friendly settlement of any difficulty which may arise between Parties concerning the implementation of this Convention and to submit to the Committee of Ministers a report on its work and on the functioning of the Convention.
A Standing Committee (T-AP) composed of Representatives of the Parties to the Convention, is responsible for the elaboration and adoption of more detailed recommendations to the Parties concerning the different species of animals for the implementation of the principles set out in the Convention.
The T-AP follows the developments in scientific research and new methods in animal husbandry. These Recommendations are different from those adopted by the Committee of Ministers as they become binding on the Parties six months after their adoption.
For its works, the T-AP has developed a close collaboration with non-governmental organisations representing the different fields concerned: veterinarians, farmers, animal protection associations, animal behaviour specialists, zootechnicians, which participate as observers in its meetings.
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may invite, in such manner as it may deem appropriate, any State which is not a member of the Council to accede to this Convention. Accession shall be effected by the deposit with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of an instrument of accession. Accession shall be effected by the deposit with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of an instrument of accession which shall take effect six months after the date of deposit.
In 1992, a Protocol of Amendment to the Convention (ETS 145) was opened for signature. This Protocol provides for the extension of the scope of the Convention to the breeding of animals produced as a result of genetic modifications or novel genetic combinations. It extends the scope of the Convention to apply also to certain aspects of developments in the area of animal husbandry, especially in respect of biotechnology, and to the killing of animals on the farm. At the same time, it adapts some provisions of the Convention to the evolving situation in respect of animal husbandry.
