EU Legislation, Initiatives, etc.

Defra: Views are being sought from farmers and other interested parties on how the new EU rules on the electronic identification of sheep & goats can best be implemented in England through a consultation (closes on 23 June 2009). The UK has been pressing hard in Europe for changes that will help to reduce the burden of EID and individual recording on the sheep and goat farming industry.
 
The Government has already secured a number of changes to the EID regulations which will considerably reduce the burden on farmers, including delaying the date of implementation until December 2009 and securing a derogation from the need to electronically identify animals which are intended for slaughter under 12 months of age. If the UK applies the slaughter derogation, the EID regulation will only affect the one sheep that is retained for breeding out of every five sheep born.
 
While continuing to press for further improvements, the Government is preparing to implement the new system by the EU deadline of 31 December 2009 and is seeking views on how to make the costs of implementation as low as possible.
Press release ~ Defra - Electronic Identification (EID) for Sheep ~ Consultation on the implementation of Electronic Identification (EID) for Sheep and individual recording for Sheep & Goats
 
HO: The Home Office claims that victims of human trafficking will receive better protection & support under new measures which came into force in the UK on 1 April 2009. The Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human Beings creates minimum legal rights for victims and strengthens the UK's ability to catch the criminals that exploit victims of trafficking.
Press release ~ Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human Beings ~ Details of the UK's implementation of the Convention ~ UK Human Trafficking Centre ~ UK Trafficking Action Plan~ Eaves Poppy Project ~ Operation Pentameter 2 ~ Tackling Demand Review ~ What the Home Office is doing about prostitution ~ Co-ordinated Prostitution Strategy ~ Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit ~ Don’t close your eyes
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