No Ban on Battery Egg Imports
The UK will not ban imports of eggs produced in battery cages, even after the system of production is outlawed across the EU in three weeks time.
In a statement on 6 December 6, Agriculture Minister Jim Paice said ‘tough action’ would be taken to prevent eggs produced in ‘battery cages’ being sold in the UK.
From 1st January 2012, egg producers are required to provide hens with larger and more comfortable ‘enriched’ cages, which include nesting and scratching areas that allow more natural behaviour. The UK industry has spent approximately ￡400 million complying with the new regulations.
But following the failure of the European Commission and member states to reach agreement on EU-wide control measures, his statement fell short of the protection hoped for by the UK egg industry.
Mr Paice said the British Government had ‘thoroughly investigated’ the possibility of a unilateral UK ban on all battery cage imports of egg and egg products but ‘very significant’ legal and financial implications and practical difficulties in enforcing it, meant it was not a realistic option.
Instead, he said the government has been working closely with the domestic egg industry, processors, food manufacturers, the food service sector and retailers to ‘reach a voluntary consensus that they won’t sell or use battery-farmed eggs which will help British consumers to avoid unwittingly buying them.'
Mr Paice called it ‘unacceptable’ that after the ban on battery cages comes into effect, around 50 million hens in 13 member states across Europe will still be produced in battery cages after January 1.
Mr Paice admitted, however, that due to a loophole in the egg marketing regulations, the UK cannot prohibit the marketing or use of imported battery cage eggs sent for processing.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
