Retrospective: more than 80.000 petitions
The many more than 80.000 petitions collected up until June 2004 were handed over to the President of the European Convention, which developed the Constitution, and subsequently to all Heads of State and Government. All petitions that have been collected after July 2004 will be handed over to the Presidency of the European Council, which changes every six months. The petitions demand that the President of the European Council publish a report at the end of the Presidency. This report shall document whether the Union objective of animal welfare has already had an effect on the Rulings of the European Court of Justice and on EU regulations.

Current wording
Animal welfare was anchored in Article III-121 of the draft EU constitution with the following wording, which is retained unchanged in the new EU Reform Treaty:
»In formulating and implementing the Union's agriculture, fisheries, transport, internal market, research and technological development and space policies, the Union and the Member States shall, since animals are sentient beings, pay full regard to the requirements of animal welfare, while respecting the legislative or administrative provisions and customs of Member States relating in particular to religious rites, cultural traditions and regional heritage.«

Regulations and court rulings must follow:
Animal welfare thus stands next to gender equality, combating discrimination based on certain characteristics and environmental protection as an objective of the European Union. The legal repercussions of this article are therefore comparable with the consequences of the definition of animal welfare as a state objective in Article 20 a in the German Constitution.

As a result, the EU and member states are called upon to take account of animals as sentient beings in case law, in formulating legal regulations and in political programmes. The Union objective also allows a weighting of decisions in favour of animals in situations where animal welfare and other interests conflict. Although it is stated that national regulations and customs of member states may be taken into account,these are not regarded as binding.

In the end, however, it will be a change in the decisions of the European Court of Justice in favour of animals which proves the actual success of the inclusion of animal welfare in the EU Reform Treaty.

Experience tells us that legal decisions in animals' favour will not come automatically, but rather that indefatigable campaigners for animal rights and animal welfare will be needed to enforce animals' rights in conflict situations. The animal welfare group lawsuit currently subject to political discussion in Germany will undoubtedly be the only true means of control at EU level. This, however, will take years to achieve!

Therefore:
www.animals-constitution.info continues:
Help us! Send another petition!

The EU Reform Treaty should enter into force in 2009. However, even now, it represents a consensus between the EU and the member states. A strengthening of animal protection must therefore now already be reflected in regulations and court rulings! We will send this demand together with the demand to remove the aforementioned limitations to animal rights and the received petitions every six months to the Chairperson of the EU Council of Ministers and to the President of the EU.

Let us once again campaign successfully for the animals' rights! Every petition counts! Sign the letter to the President of the European Council. Demand in your letter of petitions:

1. the right of animals to be regarded before courts of law, in legislation and in political programmes as sentient beings, as well as

2. the removal of the phrasing: »while respecting the legislative or administrative provisions and customs of Member States relating in particular to religious rites, cultural traditions and regional heritage.« in the passage on animal welfare in the new EU Reform Treaty.