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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 10th January 2012
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EU Commission launches legal proceedings
Fourteen states sued over battery cage egg ban.

The European Commission has announced that it will be bringing legal proceedings against fourteen member states in the coming weeks in response to their failure to enforce the EU-wide battery cage egg ban. EU Inspection Teams will be visiting all member states to collect evidence of non-compliance with legislation to support legal action and subsequent fines.

EU Health Commissioner John Dalli informed Ministers by letter in November that infringement proceedings would be launched against any country which failed to meet the January 1st2012 deadline to convert all conventional battery cages into improved 'enriched' cages or better. Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain have all failed to meet the deadline.

The Commission's latest figures record that 46.7 million hens are still in conventional battery cages across Europe in spite of the ban. This constitutes 14 per cent of the Continent's entire flock.

UK farmers have objected to the trading advantage that non-compliance confers. Commenting on the news, Katy Lee, spokesman for UK farming unions in Brussels urged the Commission to act said “In good faith the UK poultry industry has fully complied with the new laws on the welfare of laying hens and now we are told 14 Member States have failed to meet the deadline. This is unacceptable.”

“We are pleased the Commission has begun legal proceedings against non-compliant Member States although it does feel like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. It is now essential that the Commission wastes no time in stamping out the illegal production and enforces large enough fines to discourage a similar scenario in the future.”

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.