The RSPCA commends Defra for insisting that England will keep to the ban on conventional barren battery cages in 2012. Serious questions still need to be asked about the readiness of other EU member states for the ban and what the EU and Defra will do to ensure that no eggs from barren cage systems are imported into the UK.
The Society opposes so-called ‘enriched’ cages and believes that they provide only a little more space compared to barren cages and limited facilities for nesting, perching and scratching. In reality, the RSPCA beleives that the cages are still insufficient for the birds to perform many natural behaviours properly or move about and exercise fully. 'Enriched' cages only need to supply 600cm2 of usable area per hen, which is still less than the size of an A4 piece of paper.
In 2010, 50% of eggs in the UK were produced in non-cage systems (barn, free-range and organic), compared to the other half produced in cages. This is 13% more than the proportion of cage-free eggs produced in 2005 and 22% more than in 2000. This indicates the public appetite to move away from cage based systems.
The situation in the EU is very different with some countries (such as Germany and Luxembourg) near to full compliance and others such as Poland and Spain with a long way to go before they are compliant.
There are two options open to the European Commission on countries which are not compliant: they can enforce the Directive or propose intra EU trade bans. The Commission continues to support the formal infraction process that applies to any member state in breach of its obligations, but this takes time and may not ensure all illegal eggs are prevented from entering the market, especially as egg products. There has never been an intra EU ban on animal welfare grounds before and there could be traceability issues with egg products, as well as being seen as ‘rewarding’ producers who are producing illegal eggs.
The European Parliament has given the commission a deadline of March 2011 to get back to them with their proposals for the Directive’s implementation and enforcement. The RSPCA is working on this issue in England and Wales and with Eurogroup for Animal Welfare in the European Union.