15 August 2000

RCVS holds back on European Convention

At a meeting between The Kennel Club and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) on 24 July, the RCVS reported that it had decided not to take the issue of support for the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals any further at the present time. The RCVS initiated an informal consultation in April 2000 to find out how animal organisations felt about the European Convention in view of the indications from the Home Office that it intended to re-open discussions later in the year about ratification and implementation by the UK Government. The Kennel Club itself had voiced various concerns regarding the possible consequences of support for the Convention. RCVS Junior Vice-President, Roger Green, said: ‘RCVS Officers felt that the RCVS had done what it had set out to do with its informal consultation and had received a range of views on the Convention. Any further action would now be a matter for the Home Office.’ There is some confusion around this issue. The Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly which has met in Strasbourg since 1949 is not the European Union and therefore should not be confused with the European Parliament. It does not carry the force of law unless a member state ratifies the Convention. Nor should there be confusion with the banning of certain breeds in Germany which is purely a matter for German state law although according to MEP Richard Corbett, the issue has been discussed at EU-level, he said: "I have spoken to the Eurogroup for Animal Welfare about the issue of a dangerous dog ban at European Union level. The issue has recently been discussed, but it appears unlikely that there is enough support for the European Commission to propose such a ban." He has tabled a question to the Parliamentary Commission which will hopefully force them to take a stand on the issue in the autumn after parliamentary recess.