Welfare groups against grace period for hen cages

Aniaml welfare group, Eurogroup for Animals, has reacted angrily to the suggestion of allowing a six-month “period of grace” for egg producers following the introduction of the cage ban on 1 January 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.

Source: Eurogroup for Animals