Summary Description
- Sets minimum animal welfare standards in egg production by banning conventional battery cages, limiting stocking densities and setting standards for two types of farming systems: enriched battery cages, and systems without cages.
- TopicThe topic of the legislation or policy covered by the text
- AgricultureAnimal welfare
- SpeciesThe animal, or type of food production, covered by the text
- JurisdictionCountry or geographical area where the text applies
- EU
- Sub-jurisdictionCountry or state where the text applies
- EU
- Type of ActWhether the act is a law, regulation, or policy, or another type of text
- Legislation
- StatusIndicates whether the act is in force or not
- In force
- Legal ValueWhether the text is binding or not
- Binding
- Date enactedDate the text was adopted
- 1999
- Date updatedDate when the entry was last updated by the CALF team
- June, 2023
- Official citation
- Council Directive 1999/74 of 19 July 1999 Laying Down Minimum Standards for the Protection of Laying Hens, 1999 O.J. L 203/53 - 57 (E.U.)
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths
- Places a moratorium on the construction of conventional cages as of 2003, and prohibits their use since 2012. Only "enriched battery cages" are allowed since 2012. These have slightly less density levels and must contain enrichment materials (nesting area, scratching area and perches).
- Sets standards in systems which do not use cages, by placing a limit on stocking densities (nine laying hens per m2 usable area) and imposing the use of enrichment materials (perches, litters).
- Bans forced moulting.
- Imposes a minimum inspection rate of the animals of once a day.
- Provides general principles on noise levels, lighting regime, and mutilations.
- Weaknesses
- Does not cover operations with less than 350 animals and only covers commercial egg-laying hens (not breeding animals).
- Does not contain a ban on the use of cages.
- Allows high stocking densities.
- The Annex provides a general ban on mutilations, which is neutralised by a broad exemption "Member States may authorize beak trimming."
- The provisions on the lighting standards remain broadly formulated and does not provide engineering standards.