Leaked EU cage ban falls short for animals and farmers

Animal welfare NGOs have praised leaked proposals from the European Commission to ban cages for laying hens as a historic move, but have raised concerns about the proposed 12-year transition period, arguing it is excessively long and would leave millions of animals suffering unnecessarily. The End the Cage Age (EtCA) coalition points out that many food businesses have successfully transitioned away from cages in just five years, suggesting a shorter timeframe is feasible. Extended transition periods may disadvantage existing cage-free farmers in the market while failing to adequately address issues surrounding the welfare of meat chickens due to the merging of Laying Hen and Broiler Directives.

The leaked proposals align with the EtCA European Citizens’ Initiative, which has garnered support from over 1.4 million EU citizens and 170 NGOs. The Commission had previously committed to legislate against caged farming but has not met its timelines. Nevertheless, the initiative includes commendable plans to ban male chick culling and enforce animal welfare standards for imported poultry products, which echo the preferences of EU citizens and support local farmers. The outcome of a significant legal action initiated by the EtCA against the Commission, seeking to ensure legislative commitments are fulfilled, is anticipated on November 25, 2024.