Zeljko Radosevic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, said that the goal of the harmonization of the Animal Welfare Law and the Law on Animal Husbandry is improvement and harmonization with the EU acquis adding that amending the Law is in the interest of the producers and industry alike because animal welfare is a prerequisite for the breeding and export to both the European Union and the countries in the region. Radosevic said that the primary goal is to harmonize the national regulations with the EU regulations.

Emina Milakara, acting head of the Veterinary Directorate, said that the Ministry is currently preparing to set up a working group to prepare the harmonization of the two laws, adding that animal welfare is vital for the development of the economy and for environmental protection.

Nenad Budimovic, representative of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, said that the importance of fur farming as a production branch has been recognized and a Group for Furbearing Animals has been set up at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce. He also said that in order to properly harmonize the law, a rulebook on this type of production also has to be passed.

Following a debate, the Committee concluded that the Animal Welfare Law needs to be harmonized with the Law on Animal Husbandry and a rulebook passed to regulate fur farming in line with the best EU standards.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairman Marijan Risticevic and attended by the following Committee members and deputy members: Veroljub Matic, Miroslav Aleksic, Marjana Maras, Zarko Bogatinovic, Arpad Fremond, Ognjen Pantovic, Nenad Bozic, Mladen Lukic, Tijana Davidovac, Milija Miletic and Prof. Dr Miladin Sevarlic.