The recently published EU draft proposal for a Council regulation on the protection of animals during transport has not yet been formally presented to member states by the European Commission. The draft proposal will be presented in the first instance to the Council of Agriculture Ministers in July. It will then proceed under the chairmanship of the Italian Presidency to Council working group level where it will be discussed in detail before moving on to COREPER and ultimately to the Council of Ministers for political approval in due course. Officials from my Department will have an opportunity to discuss the proposal in detail with the Commission, the Presidency and with other member states at working group level before the proposal moves forward for political agreement.