The Transatlantic Animal Welfare Council (TAWC) describes this as a significant step forward.

“The European Parliament and in particular its International Trade Committee must be thanked forMe their hard work in ensuring that the views of European Citizens have been listened to and acted upon,” commented Cindy Milburn, Chair of the TAWC.

The TAWC will continue to contribute to the discussions on trade and economic relations with the United States, including the call “for input on regulatory issues for possible trade negotiations” launched by the European Commission.

This report, whilst recognising the divergent approaches the EU and US have to trade, will go a long way towards preventing any downward harmonisation of European and US standards should the EU and the US decide to launch trade negotiations in the future.