Answer given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the European Commission
20.11.2019
The Commission attaches great attention to the European Citizens’ Initiative <QT.START>“</QT.START>End the cage age<QT.END>”</QT.END> requiring the ban of cages or individual stalls for farmed animals. The Commission will respond to the initiative should it meet the required conditions laid down in Regulation (EU) No 211/2011[1].
The EU has adopted legislation that considerably reduces the use of individual stalls or cages for farm animals[2].
Based on scientific evidence[3], the Commission considers that laying hens can be kept in ‘enriched cages’ which provide space and equipment to fulfil their normal behaviour such as litter, nests and perches.
At present, the Commission does not intend to revise the import conditions related to animal welfare.
- [1] Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 on the citizens’ initiative (OJ L 65, 11.3.2011, p. 1-22).
- [2] Council Directive 1999/74/EC of 19 July 1999 laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens (OJ L 203, 3.8.1999, p. 53-57), Council Directive 2008/119/EC of 18 December 2008 laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves (OJ L 10, 15.1.2009, p. 7-13) and Council Directive 2008/120/EC of 18 December 2008 laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs (OJ L 47, 18.2.2009, p. 5-13).
- [3] EFSA Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare on a request from the Commission related to the welfare aspects of various systems of keeping laying hens. The EFSA Journal (2005) 197, 1-23.