Caged egg ban in Europe: Overview
- Several European countries now ban enriched cages for laying hens
- Denmark, France and others are pursuing cage phase outs
- An EU-wide ban depends on Commission proposals advancing
- Consumer demand and retailer commitments may support further change
- Transitioning from cages may require investment and reduce efficiency
Caged farming is being banned in Europe. Legislation already restricts cage sizes, and many European countries are going further, aiming to phase out other types of cages for laying hens as well.
What does this mean for producers in Europe?
Existing legislation on cage sizes
The EU already has legislation in place for cage sizes for laying hens. The laying hens directive, which was passed in 1999, specifies that a caged hen must have 750 cm2 of cage area, 600 cm2 of which must be usable. The total cage area should not be less than 2000 cm2. The height of the cage should be no more than 20cm at any given point.
‘Organic’ production, the requirements of which are laid out in the Commission Implementing Regulation of 2020, must be cage-free, with each hen having around 1,667 cm² of usable indoor area.
Unenriched cages, which are cages that lack a nest, perches and litter, have been banned in the EU since 2012.
Which countries are banning caged farming?
On top of the existing legislation, several individual EU Member States have implemented bans on enriched caged farming for laying hens.
Bans on enriched cages are now in place in Austria, Luxembourg and Germany. In other countries, phase-outs are being planned. Denmark has pledged to phase out caged farming, as has the Czech Republic and Wallonia, Belgium.
France is developing new initiatives to prohibit the construction of cages for laying hens, according to the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), and legal provisions related to phase-outs are under discussion in Estonia and Slovenia.
A ban on enriched cages does not necessarily mean that all caged farming will be banned, points out Sander Wagemakers, associate at law firm Two Birds. For example, the Netherlands is banning enriched cages but not colony cages, which are larger.
Is an EU-wide ban possible?
An EU-wide ban may be possible, suggests Wagemakers.
The European Commission proposed plans to phase out cages for laying hens in its Livestock Strategy earlier this year.
“If the Commission’s proposal is implemented through a Regulation, it would effectively phase out cages throughout the EU,” says Wagemakers.
Nevertheless, support from Parliament and Member States is not assured, he stresses. Agricultural reform “remains politically sensitive”, and such legislation could be delayed or revised.
Conversely, consumer support, as well as supermarket commitments to free-range eggs, may help build momentum, he suggests, although of course, stated preferences do not always translate into purchasing decisions.
How are bans impacting production costs?
Bans on caged farming can add significant costs to egg production.
According to one study, economic assessments of transitioning away from conventional or enriched cages show that significant capital investment may be required as a result of these bans, which may lead to a reduction of efficiency.
On the other hand, according to IEEP, in North-West Europe there has been continued growth in the demand for cage-free products, particularly eggs.
The law around farming in Europe is changing. Whether or not an EU-wide ban comes about, restrictions around caged farming are growing rapidly.
