EU Directive 2010 / 63 / EU : “ Implementing the Three Rs Through Policy ”

William Howard taft (1857-1930) said: “The world is not going to be saved by legislation” (taft, 1916). laws or guidance? Is it a choice or a result of the society, its cultures and traditions? europe has a long tradition of legislation. eU legislation was and is considered part of a means to keep the peace, build europe after the wars, and bring prosperity to its citizens. later, it served also to provide protection to consumers and to the environment. legislation, therefore, is seen as an integral part of modern european society, the framework under which we can work together regardless of our cultural and societal differences, contributing to the richness of european life and advancing co-operation. Laws reflect values of our society and its conscience but, equally, they ensure that your counterparts respect and work by the same rules and ethical principles. eU laws are established to create a level playing field – to enable different countries and cultures to work seamlessly together. In this particular field, it stretches even further; in line with our belief that animal life is to be respected, it ensures a minimum level of protection for animals. Guidance extends from the laws and complements the provisions beyond that of the legislative framework. It assists in the implementation, provides understanding, and supports the policy objectives. Or, in cases where there are no legal bases for legislation, or when laws are not considered appropriate, guidance can be adopted to steer our attitudes and thinking to a specific, desired direction. Other cultures may rely more on guidance with minimal legislative framework. In some cases, the traditions, as well as funding opportunities and other such influences may, in practice, turn guidance into near binding standards, while in others, guidance may be respected regardless. From the animal welfare perspective, however, it is more reassuring to be able to rely on legislation that is enforceable by court, instead of mere guidance. In today’s legal framework tools exist to adapt legislation flexibly – one of the main advantages of guidance over legislation in the past. So, legislation or guidance to advance the three Rs in europe? the answer was dictated partly by the past and partly by our culture. In europe we have had eU-wide binding legislation in this field for a quarter of a century, The question was not whether we should have legislation but rather how it can better reflect and support our current and future values and the ways in which we interact with animals.