Illegal Cages: Time to take action
Despite the barren battery cage ban taking effect on 1st January, millions of hens across Europe are still living in illegal cages. One of the worst nations in terms of non-compliance with the ban is Italy.
Industry estimates show that, in Italy, non-compliance with the ban is at least 41%. This equates to tens of millions of Italian hens suffering every day in these inhumane and cramped conditions.
The Italian Health Minister only took office in November last year, so he will not yet have felt the full force of The Big Move campaign. He needs to hear our voice and understand how important it is that he ensures that no hen in Italy has to live in an illegal barren battery cage. Not only are many egg producers breaking the law, they are doing so at the expense of the welfare of millions of animals.
Please take a few moments to send the letter below, asking the Health Minister to clearly set out Italy’s plans for full compliance with the barren battery cage ban, and to confirm what action the Italian government is taking against producers who are breaking the law.
Here is the letter translated into English:
Council Directive 1999/74/EC – Ban on barren battery cages
The ban on barren battery cages that came into force on the 1st January 2012 is one of the most significant pieces of animal welfare legislation in the history of the European Union. Tens of millions of hens across Europe have already benefitted.
It is therefore with shock and sadness that I note that the Italian government has so far not ensured that the country’s egg industry complies with the ban, despite having had over twelve years to do so. The result is that millions of hens in Italy are still being kept in illegal cages.
In continuing meetings and ongoing dialogue between the ministry and the egg farmers, please can you now urgently confirm that you will:
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Produce an action plan setting out what needs to be done so that Italy is able to fully comply with the ban as soon as possible.
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Provide accurate figures to the European Commission of the Italian egg industry’s levels of compliance with the ban. This should include the list, requested by the Commission, of compliant and non-compliant producers.
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Take all steps that are necessary to ensure that your egg industry does indeed fully comply with the ban.
