Following the conclusion by the Scientific Veterinary Committee in 1996 that there are serious welfare problems inherent in the battery cage system, Directive 1999/74 laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens was adopted. It bans traditional battery cages from 1st January 2012.
Since 2004, labelling of eggs with the method of production is compulsory in the EU. The labelling system distinguishes between organic, free range, barn and cages production methods. Eggs from battery cages are marked with a 3 code. From 1 January 2012, all eggs marked with a 3 code will have to come from enriched cages.
Despite this deadline and the commitment of the Commission to not postpone the upcoming 2012 ban on the use of battery cages, official figures provided by member states to the European Commission in April 2011 show that only 14 countries will be complying with the directive’s requirement. Eight will surely not comply (BE, BG, CY, FR, PL, PT, RO, SK) and five have still an unknown status (EL, HU, IT, LV and ES). According to the egg industry, it is estimated that circa 25% of European hens, i.e. 17 millions animals, would still be in conventional cages after 1 January 2012.
For more information on this issue, please visit:
Written questions:
Eggs from ‘conventional cages’ by Bairbre de Brún (GUE/NGL)
Ban on the conventional rearing of laying hens as from 2012 – current state of implementation by Peter Jahr (PPE)
Implementation of the 1999 EU Laying Hens Directive by Richard Ashworth (ECR)
