Press Release
th
8 June 2011
EU barren battery cage ban takes step forward with decree from Spain
The Spanish government has issued a Royal Decree that could put it among the countries in Europe
with the best chance of implementing the most important piece of animal welfare legislation ever in
the EU.
Reacting to consistent pressure from animal welfare charities, including Compassion in World
Farming and its supporters, the government moved to make sure Spanish farmers are ready for the
EU law banning the battery cage for laying hens, which will come into force in January 2012.
The Royal Decree, issued this week by the Spanish government, obliges all farmers who still use
battery cages for their laying hens to submit a plan explaining how they will change to so-called
enriched cages or a barn or free-range system by January next year. It also asks them to highlight
what, if any, financial help they may need to do this.
More than 16,000 emails have been sent by Compassion supporters to the Spanish Ministry of
Agriculture this year, encouraging the government to make sure the egg farmers were prepared for
the ban.
Michele Danan from Compassion in World Farming congratulated the Spanish government for taking
a step which should release up to 40 million hens from barren cages. She said: “It is fantastic news
that Spain has taken this big step towards making sure it obeys the new EU law in January. We want
to thank the Spanish government for listening to its own and other EU citizens and for taking this
important step in helping their farmers to be fully prepared for the ban on barren battery cages.”
She added: “Sixty-four per cent of people in Spain say they would pay more for eggs produced by
hens in higher welfare systems1, so the public support is there. This is one of the most important
pieces of animal welfare legislation to be introduced in the history of the EU and will make a huge
difference to the lives of hundreds of millions of hens.”
Compassion’s The Big Move campaign will keep up the pressure on other member state
governments and the Commission to ensure the law is observed when it comes into effect in 2012.
Animal welfare groups across the EU, including Spain’s FAADA, have strongly encouraged their
governments to make sure the eggs in their country are battery cage free.
There are still a small number of member states that are lagging behind and have not created an
action plan to demonstrate how their farmers will comply with the ban. This includes Spain’s
neighbour to the north, France, as well as Greece and Italy. Compassion and its supporters are now
stepping up the pressure to encourage them to follow Spain’s example.
-EndsNotes to Editors
For further information, images or to arrange interviews contact Jon Bennett
1
http://faada.org/campania-20
01483 521952 or 07771 926005 (out of office hours) or email [email protected]
Compassion in World Farming was founded over 40 years ago in 1967 by a British farmer who
became horrified by the development of modern, intensive factory farming. Today we campaign
peacefully to end all cruel factory farming practices. We believe that the biggest cause of cruelty on
the planet deserves a focused, specialised approach – so we only work on farm animal welfare.