Flanders Expands Summer Animal Transport Ban to June
Flemish Minister for Animal Welfare Ben Weyts (N-VA) has expanded the summer ban on long-distance animal transports to include the month of June, extending the previous prohibition which covered only July and August. The measure, announced on May 31, takes effect immediately and targets road transport of live livestock from Flanders to warm destinations outside the European Union.
“It’s often already too warm in June too,” Weyts said in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws. “During long transports in summer conditions, the temperature for the animals often rises above 30 degrees. That’s really too hot.”
Scope of the Ban
The prohibition applies to road transport of live animals from Flanders to non-EU destinations with warm climates, including Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Turkey. The ban covers the three hottest months of the year: June, July, and August 2026.
According to VRT NWS, the animals travel through Southern and Eastern European countries such as Italy, Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria, where summer temperatures regularly exceed 30°C. The route conditions made the existing system of veterinarian pre-approval inadequate, as temperatures en route are unpredictable.
Transports to cooler non-EU destinations such as Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom remain permitted. Vehicles equipped with certified active air conditioning or cooling systems are also theoretically exempt, though most trucks currently lack such equipment.
Proven Effectiveness
The 2025 ban, which covered only July and August, proved highly effective. According to data from the Flemish government, the number of permits issued for long-distance animal transports dropped by 76.5% across the entire year compared to 2024, when more than 3,500 cattle were exported from Flanders to North Africa and the Middle East across 177 separate transports.
On his official website, Weyts described the policy as a moral imperative: “It’s our damned duty to actually avoid preventable animal suffering.” He has long advocated for ending long-distance live animal exports, arguing that animals should be slaughtered in Flanders and only the chilled carcasses transported.
Sector Concerns
Not all stakeholders welcome the expanded ban. Representatives from the transport sector have criticized the lack of consultation. One anonymous entrepreneur told VRT NWS that there had been “virtually no contact with the minister” and that it was “not easy to adjust or cancel orders now.”
The sector argues that live animals are transported for their genetic value, with breeding cattle sent to North Africa and the Middle East for breeding programs, not solely for slaughter.
Broader Implications
Flanders is positioning itself as a trailblazer in animal welfare regulation. The Dutch Parliament has already taken notice: in September 2025, Party for the Animals MP Esther Ouwehand submitted formal questions to Minister Wiersma asking whether the Netherlands would follow Flanders’ example. Minister Wiersma responded that existing Dutch measures, including the end of bilateral export agreements and NVWA temperature enforcement, achieve similar practical outcomes.
The European Commission is also working on broader EU-level reforms to animal transport regulations, potentially giving other member states a framework to implement similar measures.
What’s Next
The expansion to June raises questions about whether the ban will be extended further in future years to include May or September. Minister Weyts has expressed a long-term goal of ending live animal exports from Flanders entirely, advocating instead for slaughter within the region and transport of chilled meat.
Meanwhile, Wallonia and Brussels — which have their own regional animal welfare ministers — have yet to announce comparable measures, leaving a patchwork of regulations across Belgium. The success of Flanders’ policy may, however, increase pressure on neighboring regions to follow suit.
As summer temperatures continue to rise across Europe, the Flemish approach could serve as a model for other jurisdictions seeking to balance agricultural trade with animal welfare obligations.