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State and L.G.

Guarantee of minimal standards

The state has an especially important role in planning the improvement process of the farm animal welfare, as well as the development and enforcement of legislation in this field. By passing legislation, the state establishes the minimal farm animal welfare standards.

In 2009, Animal welfare Act has been passed in Serbia (“Official gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, no. 41/09), which among other issues, regulates farm animal welfare during raising, trade, transport and slaughter. After the Animal welfare Act, a secondary legislation was also passed, regulating the above mentioned issues in more details and supporting the implementation of the legislation.

Support to higher welfare standards

State and local governments can have an important role in implementing incentives directed at stimulating certain types of animal production, i.e. compensation for economic losses during early stages of the production.

The interest of the state with regards to the reaching higher farm animal welfare standards lie in their positive influence on improving competitiveness of the animal based food products on domestic and European markets, and consequently on sustainable rural development as well. This was especially pronounced after the signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, when the doors had been opened for Serbia to export its products to demanding EU market, which provides supply to over 500 million consumers.