EC confirms full battery cage ban compliance expected
The European Commission has confirmed that all member states not currently in full compliance with the ban on the use of battery cages within EU territory are expected to achieve compliance by the end of the year and that sixteen of twenty seven member states are expected to achieve compliance with the forthcoming partial sow stall ban.
Approximately one in seven (50 million) European hens are currently being kept in battery cages in spite of the ban, which came into force at the start of the year. The member states not currently in compliance are Spain, Portugal, Poland, the Netherlands, Latvia, Italy, Hungary, Greece, France, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Belgium. The aforementioned member states have previously been warned that they would need to ‘make extra efforts’ to avoid both a final warning and being referred to the courts.
Commenting on the news that only sixteen member states were expected to achieve compliance with the partial sow stall ban, George Lyon MEP said that "we need to redouble our efforts to force the pace with countries that are dragging their feet on complying with the ban on sow stalls and avoid this mess happening again. Pressure must be brought to bear through tough action in the courts by the Commission against those who are going to miss the deadline. Action also needs to be taken by the major retailers in the market place.”
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
