Press Release: Animal welfare: Commission steps up calls urging 10 Member States to implement ban on laying hen cages

The European Commission has sent a reasoned opinion to ten Member States that have failed to correctly implement Directive 1999/74/EC which introduces a ban on the use of un-enriched cages for laying hens.

Belgium, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal still allow the use of un-enriched cages for laying hens despite the ban which came into force in January 2012 for which they have had 12 years to prepare.

Sending a reasoned opinion is the next step in the procedure before referral to the EU Court of Justice.