Battery Hens: The Legislative Campaign

The secondary aims are:

• to ensure satisfactory protection for laying hens kept in any production system (both legislative protection and effective control and enforcement mechanisms); and
• to ensure transparent and coherent consumer information in respect of hen eggs (labelling, advertising etc.) through strict legislative requirements and effective control and enforcement.

Within Europe, the campaign should be fought at both EU and national level. At EU level, the European Commission adopted a proposal to 'improve the welfare of laying hens' on 11 March 1998. Once this measure has been agreed upon, member states will continue with discussions on a proposal to amend the Egg Marketing Directive (2174/91).

The current draft EU propsal aimed at improving the welfare of laying hens (which will supercede the Battery Hens Directive 88/166) will form the immediate focus of campaigning and lobbying throughout Europe. Animal protection societies will be particularly disappointed that a specified phase-out of the battery cage system has not been included. (See European Legislation for further information.)

In European lobbying and campaigning, it should be stressed that battery cage systems are inherently cruel, and are against the provisions of the Council of Europe farm animal convention. This convention provides that (inter alia) animals are 'housed and provided with food, water and care in accordance with their physiological and behavioural needs'. Battery cages will never be able to meet the behavioural needs of hens, regardless of attempts at modification or enhancement.

Nationally, groups are encouraged to campaign strongly for a national ban on battery cages (as per the Swiss, Swedish, ACT (Australia) models above) as a priority. Groups inside the EU should link this campaign into the EU campaign - pressing their government to support a ban on battery cages at EU level. Campaigning should also take account of the secondary aims above.

WAN has adopted the Battery Hens Campaign as one its target campaigns because it recognises that this is a battle that could be won over time - if animal groups work together on this in a strong concerted campaign. Please join the WAN Battery Hens Campaign and help us to achieve a ban on battery cages!