Enfap is delighted to hear the news that the UK is finally free of cruel barren battery cages, 13 long years after they were banned throughout the EU.
The UK was one of 14 rogue states not to comply with the EU barren battery cage ban when it came into force on 1st January this year though the level of non-compliance was far lower than in countries like Italy and Spain.
The European Commission has begun proceedings against 13 countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain.
But these proceedings can take some time and it is essential that as much pressure is put on non-compliant nations as possible while the Commission is taking legal action.
We’re targeting the worst offending nations first in an attempt to help the maximum number of hens. Our enforcement campaign starts in Italy, which has appalling levels of compliance.
We’re asking everyone to help the millions of hens still in battery cages in Italy by writing to the recently appointed Italian Health Minister. We need as many people as possible to take a few seconds to send an email from our thebigmove.org site.
We are also asking all consumers to make sure the eggs and the products with eggs in them that they buy are from non-cage systems, that’s barn, free-range or organic.
Enfap members are delighted the EU Commission has acted in the battle to enforce the barren battery cage ban as announced at Press conference on 26th January in Brussels.
The EU institution started the procedure that could see 13 EU member states facing fines from the European Court of Justice for not complying with the Union-wide ban which came into force on 1st January.
The UK, where it was revealed two weeks ago that a small proportion of egg farmers were flouting the ban, must now act to ensure it avoids the shame of becoming the 14th rogue state which has failed to implement the ban. A Commission spokesperson said that action would be taken against the UK “next month” if barren battery cages were still being used.
A total of 13 states have been sent formal letters about their non-compliance. The letter effectively starts infringement proceedings against the countries to make sure the ban is fully implemented.
This is a clear sign of intent from the Commission that the ban will be fully enforced and we are pleased a clear message is being sent that the new law is being taken seriously.
According to the Commission, around 46 million of the EU’s laying hens are still in cages. This is unacceptable, especially as the law was agreed in 1999.
We hope the Commission’s actions act as a signal of the intent in the EU as a whole not to allow individual countries to ignore an important advance in welfare for millions of hens.
Please Take Action
Go to our Big Move website to take action to enforce the ban
1st January we reached a tremendous milestone in The Big Move campaign, with the EU ban on the barren battery cage finally taking effect. Now we must concentrate on seeing it enforced across Europe.
Due to non-compliance in a number of nations, industry estimates show that at least 50 million of Europe’s hens are still being illegally kept in barren battery cages. This means the task ahead of us is large – but it is very much achievable.
Only three years ago almost two thirds of Europe’s hens were living in barren cages. Now that figure is less than a quarter. Our efforts are seeing real results, but we urgently need to increase the pressure on those countries with hens still in these illegal cages.
Reports indicate that there are 14 EU nations where egg producers still have hens in these appalling barren cages. One of the worst culprits is Italy, where industry estimates show that non-compliance is at least 41%. That’s nearly 20 million hens.
The Italian Health Minister (who oversees farm animal welfare) only took office in November last year, so he will not have felt the full force of The Big Move campaign yet. He needs to hear our voice now.
Therefore Enfap supporters are writing Italian Health Minister, asking him to:
• Clearly set out Italy’s plans for full compliance,
• Provide accurate figures to the Commission of the Italian egg industry’s levels of compliance with the ban, and
• Confirm what action the Italian Government is taking against producers who are breaking the law.
You can also join us and tell the Italian Health Minister to take action now.
The European Commission issued its second Strategy for the welfare and protection of animals 2012 – 2015 today… here’s our reaction to what it says.
Enfap is pleased to see the Second EU Strategy for the welfare and protection of animals, as it demonstrates the EU’s continuing commitment to animal welfare as a core EU value.
While several of the Strategy’s proposals are helpful, at the same time it fails to indicate how the EU plans to tackle a number of key issues. In particular it fails to set out a vision for a Europe in which the cruelties of factory farming have been brought to an end.
What we are pleased to see
Improved information for consumers
However, we’re disappointed that there is no reference to the need to introduce mandatory labelling of meat and dairy products according to the system in which the animals are reared e.g. free range.
Competence requirements for personnel handling animals
Some legislation includes competence requirements. The Strategy’s proposal to extend the fields in which competence is required for staff handling animals is helpful.
Improved compliance with legislation
For example ensuring all EU states comply with the new battery cage ban.
Plans to consider labelling of meat from unstunned animals
We believe that such meat must be labelled so that consumers can avoid it if they oppose slaughter without stunning.
Encourage international concern and support for welfare
Particularly welcome is the intention to examine how animal welfare can be better integrated in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy.
Investigate the welfare of farmed fish
This is essential before the EU’s plans to expand aquaculture are developed.
Our concerns
The Strategy’s emphasis on ‘simplification’ of legislation
We fear broadly worded, imprecise legislation, lacking in legal certainty will leave farmers and enforcement officials unclear as to what does and what does not comply with the legislation.
Shifting legislation’s focus from welfare inputs to welfare outcomes
Measuring welfare outcomes is a good idea, but is not a substitute for legislating for the quality of welfare inputs to an animal’s environment, such as housing and provision of straw. If these are poor, good welfare outcomes, such as good mental and physical health, cannot be achieved.
No indication of how the EU will fulfil its international obligations to implement species-specific Recomendations
The EU is obliged to give effect to the species-specific Recommendations that have been adopted under the European Convention and to the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) Recommendations. Currently there is no specific EU legislation for dairy cows, beef cattle, rabbits or farmed fish, and shockingly the Strategy does not plan to introduce such legislation.
Common Agricultural Policy
The Strategy fails to recognise that both the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the proposed CAP reform do far too little to help EU agriculture move from industrial livestock production to more sustainable, humane forms of animal husbandry.
The Strategy should have committed to a strengthening of the proposed CAP reform package to help deliver much improved welfare standards in the EU.
The lack of use of reports funded by taxpayers
In recent years The European Food Safety Authority has produced Scientific Opinions and Reports on five different aspects of pig welfare, four areas of dairy welfare as well as on the welfare of many farmed fish species.
We are disappointed that the Strategy does not plan to utilise these Opinions and Reports as a basis for future legislation or other policy initiatives. It is a waste of the tax-payer’s money, used to commission EFSA to produce these valuable reports, not to make good use of them.
The Strategy also fails to address certain key areas that are widely recognised to give rise to serious welfare problems.
These include:
- the welfare of dairy cows;
- the need to place a maximum limit of 8 hours on transport to slaughter or for further fattening;
- the need to establish much more effective protection for farm animals that are exported to third countries;
- cloning and genetic engineering;
- the need to examine the farming practices that can be used to achieve good animal health without recourse to regular use of antibiotics;
- the need to develop better understanding of economic win-win situations where improved welfare also produces economic benefits for farmers.
Read more:
Enfap celebrates a victory
The amazing and tremendous news is that on the 1st January 2012 the EU ban on the barren battery cage is finally here.
After decades of campaigning against this cruel and inhumane system, and months of work defending the ban from last-minute threats, we can at last take a moment to celebrate.
A victory for hens
Hundreds of millions of animals will benefit from this remarkable piece of animal welfare legislation. Already, the number of Europe’s hens spending their lives in alternative systems has risen to more than 130 million – an incredible result. This shows what public pressure can achieve.
A victory for everyone
The victory is also for all those who care about the lives that farm animals lead. From every single person who buys free-range, organic or barn eggs, to the major multi-national food companies that have also taken a stand and gone ‘cage-free’. Millions of people have played their part in the move away from the barren battery cage.
Enfap´s biggest thanks go out to the tens of thousands of you who have taken part in The Big Move campaign: lobbying and pressuring governments across Europe to help protect the legislation from exemptions and postponements. This ban, in many eyes the most monumental victory for animal welfare ever, is your success.
However our campaign is not over. Some countries are still not compliant with the ban, and Enfap will not rest until all of Europe’s hens are out of these appalling cages.
One of the most important animal welfare victories ever in the European Union is threatening to descend into farce, as 84 million egg laying hens are still stuck in barren battery cages less then one month before the ban on these cages comes into force in all 27 member-states.
The ban, which represents a welfare improvement for hundreds of millions of hens, looks like it will not be adhered to in up to 13 EU states come January 1st . While Enfap and its member organizations will be celebrating a major step forward in animal welfare on New Year’s Day, they are calling on both individual countries and the European Commission to act immediately to enforce the ban and to prosecute those found breaking the new law.
It makes sound business sense for farmers to switch from these cages to a non-cage system altogether – as the market for free range eggs continues to grow.
The threat of illegal eggs entering the supply chain has also caused concerns. Marketing regulations mean it is illegal to sell eggs from hens in these cages come January 1st, but Enfap fears liquid eggs could be used in products, such as pasta, cakes and ready meals and therefore urges consumers to guard against this by checking that the eggs in the products they are buying are free-range.
Enfap is asking egg producers to use this opportunity to move to cage-free egg production, rather than to the so-called “enriched” cage system, which is still permitted under the new rules.
Enfap members are currently writing to Agriculture Ministers across Europe, urging them to keep the welfare of millions of hens in mind when they meet in Brussels on December 15th-16th, a meeting which may be the last chance to agree a common position on the these illegally-produced eggs before the ban comes into place on 1st January 2012.
Enfap and its member organisations were shocked by a proposal from the EU Commissioner in charge of animal welfare last week that will mean illegal eggs could still be used after a ban on barren battery cages comes into force in January next year.
In a meeting of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, Commissioner John Dalli said there would be no postponement of the ban but said he was looking for a “solution” for those producers who had ignored the deadline, raising the prospect of illegally produced eggs being sold for processing i.e. for use in products such as pasta and ready meals that utilise egg as an ingredient.
How to deal with illegal eggs?
We are firmly opposed to this. Allowing farmers to sell their illegally produced battery eggs will greatly reduce their incentive to move away from battery cages. The best thing the Commission could do is to stress that there is no question of legalising the sale of battery eggs – this will make it clear to farmers that they must stop using the soon-to-be-illegal battery cage.
Deterrent needed
The Commission now needs to concentrate on ensuring that Member States fully enforce the ban on the barren cage and the sale of eggs from hens in barren cages as soon as these laws come in to effect next January. With the 2013 EU ban on sow stalls coming in on 1st January 2013, the Commission needs to show it is prepared to deal with those who flout the law.
To know more about the campaign please visit thebigmove.org
Enfap members are calling for urgent action from the European Commission to prevent several major EU nations flouting the barren battery cage ban when it comes into force in January.
Figures obtained by Compassion in World Farming, a leading member organisation of Enfap, paint a worrying picture of a lack of progress and, in some cases, an inability to report reliable figures.
The figures obtained show the expected numbers of hens in the different laying systems as of 1st January 2012 when the ban on battery cages comes into force across the EU. Major EU nations such as Italy and Spain are unable to provide reliable figures and the numbers from France show an estimated 6.1 million hens still in barren battery cages at the turn of the year.
On 1st January 2012, barren battery cages – cages with no facilities for birds to perch, nest or scratch – will be banned in the EU, as will selling eggs which have been produced from this system within the EU.
These figures are extremely worrying for the welfare of hens in the EU.
Barren battery cages do not allow hens to stretch their wings or exhibit many other natural behaviours. The EU is taking the lead by banning these cages from 1st January. It is essential they stand firm and put pressure on national governments to make sure their farmers are ready for the ban.
ITALY is among six nations which have not even supplied figures to the Commission detailing how many hens will be in the illegal battery cages on 1st January. POLAND will have more than 4.4 million hens in the banned cages. PORTUGAL will still have more than 2.5 million barren battery hens out of the country’s 6.5 million commercial laying stock.
EU member states have had since 1999 to prepare for the ban on barren battery cages. That is more than enough time to make the necessary changes. They must take urgent action to ensure they are ready for the ban.
Higher welfare farming does not necessarily mean a substantial increase in farm-level production costs. In fact, in certain cases, farming to higher standards of animal welfare can provide economic benefits. This is the conclusion of Reviewing the Costs, latest report written by our Chief Policy Advisor from Compassion in World Farming, a leading Enfap member organisation.
The report suggests that not only are farm level costs in higher welfare systems quite low, but improved welfare can lead to economic benefits & reduction in certain costs. The report also focuses on the non-welfare factors that have a greater impact on costs & prices. For example, distribution, marketing and other process in the food supply chain.
Finally, the report focuses on the incredibly important and often forgotten negative externalities of livestock production. These include pollution and overuse of water, soil degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, loss of biodiversity and increased levels of disease in humans. These factors need to be taken into consideration and measured.
READ FOR YOURSELF
The report includes an extensive amount of research, looking at recent studies and industry data that has already been carried out to quantify and value the negative externalities of industrial livestock production.
The key findings are:
- Farm level cost differences as between industrial livestock production & higher welfare systems are in some cases quite low
- Improved welfare can lead to economic benefits & reduction in certain costs
- Non-welfare factors have great impact on costs & prices than welfare
- There are three key economic drivers that could stimulate higher welfare
- The negative externalities of livestock production and the need to internalize them
Reviewing the Costs focuses on the above findings. Peter Stevenson says: “A huge amount of important scientific research has been carried out in the last 20 years into farm animal behaviour, physiology and health. However, much less attention has been given to the economic implications of moving to higher animal welfare.
“My report gathers together the available data and shows that in some cases improved welfare adds relatively little to on-farm production costs and in other cases enhanced welfare can actually be economically beneficial.”
FREE TO DOWNLOAD
This report can be downloaded for free using the link below:
Reviewing the Costs (
1995.64KB report)
Barren conditions are one of the many factors that contribute to animal suffering in factory farming.
Enfap member organisation Compassion in World Farming Netherlands has just launched a campaign to encourage pig farmers in the Netherlands to give their animals straw and stop routine tail docking without anaesthetic.
Supporters of the campaign are having their photos taken with a cartoon cardboard pig, whose tail they can place anywhere on the animal. In the curl of the tail it says: “Straw for pigs!”
Compassion Netherlands staff are touring the country with their cardboard pig, raising awareness of the situation in the country.
Under the EU Pigs Directive, farmers are obliged to give their pigs “manipulable material” ie straw for them to forage in, and routine tail docking is not permitted. Shockingly, a major Compassion investigation into pig farms in several EU nations in 2008 revealed widespread tail docking and lack of straw.
In the Netherlands, 88% of farms we visited had little or no enrichment for the pigs and every one of them docked the animals’ tails.
Compassion Netherlands’ Director Geert Laugs says: “The sad fact is that most pigs endure routine mutilation to adapt them to the inhumane conditions of factory farming. Docking happens because the barren conditions they are kept in, with no straw to root around in, mean that they chew each others’ tails in frustration. Not giving pigs straw or a similar material is illegal under EU law. It is time the law was properly enforced.”
He adds: “The people we have been speaking to on the street so far have been horrified by the conditions pigs are raised in and happy to have a photo taken for the campaign.”
The photos are all being posted on Facebook and will be added to an album to be presented to politicians and supermarkets at the end of the campaign.
