EU delays on cage rules prolong hens’ suffering, while egg producers face continued investment uncertainty
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#NoSpaceForCages
Today, there are around 400 million hens on EU farms, and more than a third of them are still confined in cage systems. Five years after the European Commission committed, in response to the End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative backed by more than 1.4 million Europeans, to propose legislation by the end of 2023, it has still not delivered. Launching its #NoSpaceForCages campaign, Humane World for Animals (formerly called Humane Society International) is urging the European Commission to turn its commitment into strong legislation for hens kept for egg production by the end of 2026. Continued delay prolongs hens’ suffering and leaves egg producers facing uncertainty over future investment. The legislation must include a clear, binding timetable, while farmers need financial support to make the necessary transition to cage-free housing systems.
The campaign’s ‘A4 for life’ message highlights the appalling conditions endured by caged hens kept for egg production, who can spend their entire lives in a space roughly the size an A4 sheet of paper. Cage confinement prevents hens from being able to fully express their natural behaviour and has a negative impact on their welfare.
Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs at Humane World for Animals Europe, says: “A hen’s quality of life should not depend on where in the EU she is kept. Hens in Austria and Luxembourg have long been free from cages, while most in Poland and Spain are still confined in cages that fail to meet their welfare needs. This is unfair to both hens and farmers who have already gone cage-free. We must urgently level the playing field, through harmonized EU legislation, with financial and technical support for farmers still using enriched cages to make a swift transition to cage-free egg production.”
In its recent EU Strategy on Livestock, the Commission announced that it will present proposals concerning hens kept for egg production, as well as meat chickens, by the end of 2026. This is an opportunity to facilitate an EU-wide phase-out of cages, rather than leave it up to national decision-making or the voluntary choices of egg producers.
Strong legislation must also give farmers a predictable framework for investment, alongside the financial and practical support needed to move to cage-free systems. The recently published IEEP report commissioned by Humane World for Animals identifies how the Common Agricultural Policy and other funding pathways can support the transition to cage-free production. The organisation calls for appropriate funding pathways, including through the Common Agricultural Policy, to support the transition to cage-free production.
Through #NoSpaceForCages, Humane World for Animals is inviting the public to urge the European Commission to demonstrate its commitment with a strong legislation proposal by the end of 2026 with the shortest possible phase-out of cages for hens kept for egg production. EU legislation must consign ‘A4 for life’ to the past and secure a cage-free future for Europe’s hens.
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Media Contact: Eva-Maria Heinen, emheinen@humaneworld.org, +39 333 8608589
About Humane World for Animals
Together, we tackle the root causes of animal cruelty and suffering to create permanent change. With millions of supporters and work happening in over 50 countries, Humane World for Animals—formerly called Humane Society International—addresses the most deeply entrenched forms of animal cruelty and suffering. As the leading voice in the animal protection space, we work to end the cruelest practices, care for animals in crisis and build a stronger animal protection movement. Driving toward the greatest global impact, we aim to achieve the vision behind our name: a more humane world.
humaneworld.org
Eva-Maria Heinen
Humane World for Animals
+39 333 860 8589
emheinen@humaneworld.org
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