Several EU Member States may get egg on their face

Posted on 03/01/2012

After twelve years of preparation the use of barren battery cages for laying hens is finally banned from 1 January 2012. Eurogroup for Animals applauds the entry into force of this law which will directly improve the lives of billions of hens across the European Union who are able from now on to perform more natural behaviour.

The latest figures however show that millions of hens are still kept in conventional battery cages in several Member States, despite the generous phase-out period given to producers to comply with the legislation.

This part of EU egg production is now illegal and issue, the European Commission recently confirmed that it is ready to open infringement cases as early as January 2012 if Member States do not comply with the Directive. It also confirmed that every EU member state must take its own measures to guarantee the effective introduction and enforcement of the ban immediately.

It is totally unfair that countries like Austria and Germany, which are already compliant with the ban should be penalised by the marketing and sale of illegal eggs in countries that do not comply with the legislation! It is important that we as European citizens keep as much pressure as possible on the European authorities, national governments and major egg uses to ensure this ban is fully enforced immediately.

Each and every one of us can make a difference every time we buy or eat an egg, whether it be by challenging your local supermarket, café, restaurant or holiday hotel or asking your work place caterer or local council to ensure that all their eggs come from non-cage systems. Help us make 2012 cage free!

More details can be found here: http://layinghens.eurogroupforanimals.org