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EU commission ticks off 13 countries over mistreatment of hens
Jan 26, 2012, 15:23 GMT
Brussels - Thirteen countries break European Union laws by forcing egg-laying hens to live in cages that are too cramped, the bloc's executive concluded on Thursday, as it launched legal proceedings against the offenders.
According to a 1999 EU decision that was meant to have been fully implemented on January 1, hens should be reared in cages of at least 750 square centimeters.
They should also be equipped with 'a nest-box, litter, perches and claw-shortening devices, allowing the hens to satisfy their biological and behavioral needs,' the European Commission said in a statement.
Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Romania do not respect the requirements and received an official warning letter, which may later lead to EU court proceedings and fines.
Britain may join the group of offenders in February, commission spokesman Frederic Vincent told reporters.
Getting countries to comply is necessary for animal welfare reasons but also not to put at a disadvantage farmers in rule-abiding countries which have invested in the new, EU-compliant cages, the commission said.
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