[Ed. Note: Take action on this issue: Say "No" to Poland's Postponement of the 2012 Battery Cage Ban.]
The EU must remain strong and implement 2012
battery cage
ban on time
Eurogroup for Animals urges EU Agriculture Ministers attending today’s
Agriculture Council to reject the proposal to postpone the 2012 ban by five
years as requested by Poland in a recent letter sent to all 27 EU Agriculture
Ministers. There is no reason for delaying the ban as the 1999 legislation
provided for a remarkable transition period of 12 and a half years, allowing
producers to spread their capital investments for the removal of battery cages
over a number of years.
The decision to ban the use of barren battery cages for egg laying hens came after years of campaigning by animal welfare groups and overwhelming scientific evidence that, in these conditions chickens are suffering.
Cramped in wire cages with each hen having only the room of an A4 sheet, they are unable to perform normal behavior, stretch their wings, dust bathe and move around freely.
“This ban is the result of a democratic process and expresses the wishes of European consumers. Some egg producers have deliberately waited to change their systems hoping that the EU would change its mind.
Allowing these farmers to continue to use battery cages would seriously undermine the credibility of EU legislation. It would also distort competition and penalize those producers who have already invested and improved the welfare of their hens,” said Sonja Van Tichelen, Director of Eurogroup for Animals.
In many countries, the retail sector has already opted to follow consumer
preference for good animal welfare standards and no longer sells eggs from
battery cages. This change is happening much earlier than the legal date of the
entry into force of the ban and as a result the demand for eggs produced in free
range
systems is growing.
The new EU Agriculture Commissioner, Dacian Ciolos, has already stated that
the proposed start date of the ban will be maintained. “We need to stick to our
values,” he said confirming that animal welfare considerations are a central
part of European food production.
Eurogroup will continue urging the Commission and member states to put extra efforts in to ensuring that producers comply with the legislation in time for the 2012 deadline.
| 