Ban on battery hens: Parliament demands

action against laggards

Press release

Plenary sessions

Any attempt to evade the EU ban on battery cages for laying hens due to take effect
in January 2012 must be resisted, says a European Parliament resolution approved
on Thursday. Animal welfare must be safeguarded and unfair competition prevented
from producers who continue unlawfully to use these methods.

MEPs want the Commission to take "urgent action" towards Member States to ensure that
egg producers comply with the ban. National action plans with "dissuasive sanctions" should
be put in place, they say.

Egg shortage looms

MEPs are concerned that a "substantial number" of Member States and 30% of EU egg
production may not be ready to comply with the ban by the 1 January deadline. They point
to a "risk of egg shortages and significant price increases", as eggs which are not produced
in compliance with the directive "are not legally marketable in the EU".

Even so, Parliament opposes any postponement of or derogations to the ban, since this
"would seriously harm the welfare of hens". The resolution, which was adopted by 459 votes
to 32 with 17 abstentions, urges the Commission to stick to the ban and to oppose strongly
any attempts by Member States to obtain a deferral. It also asks the Commission to submit,
by 31 December 2011, a list of egg and egg-product producers, processors and retailers
who are not complying with the law.

MEPs nevertheless also believe that a solution must be found for those producers who have
started changing the rearing systems but will not complete the process before the deadline.

Contact :
Federico DE GIROLAMO
AGRI
BXL: (+32) 2 28 31389
STR: (+33) 3 881 72850
PORT: (+32) 498 98 35 91
EMAIL: agri-press@europarl.europa.eu
Eimear NÍ BHROIN
Dublin
STR: (+33) 3 881 64122
PORT: (+353) 868 559 423
EMAIL: Press-en@europarl.europa.eu
EMAIL: eimear.nibhroin@europarl.europa.eu
ADDINFO: (+353) 1 605 79 32
Paola BUONADONNA
London
STR: (+33) 3 881 74822
PORT: (+44) 7 786 060 531

EN
Press Service
Directorate for the Media
Director - Spokesperson : Jaume DUCH GUILLOT
Reference No.: 20101215IPR10450
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 Press release
EMAIL: Press-en@europarl.europa.eu
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