August 19, 2011

European welfare group lambastes grace period for hen cages

Animal welfare group, Eurogroup for Animals, has lambasted egg producers for allowing a six-month "period of grace" following the introduction of the cage ban on January 1, 2012.

In answer to a parliamentary question, Belgian Minister Onkelinx suggested that she could grant producers who have not changed to another system a six month extension. Welfare groups condemn the statement saying that this is in breach of the European Directive and that producers have already had 12 years to comply with the law.

"We have called on the European Commission, together with our Belgian member GAIA to ensure that Belgium is stopped and ordered to conform. Commissioner Dalli has repeatedly stated that there will be no postponement or exemption and yet member states are already ignoring the deadline and making up their own rules," said Sonja Van Tichelen, director of Eurogroup for Animals.