AR-News: Four countries taken to court over welfare of laying hens

[Mindy Kursban]

http://just-food.com/news_detail.asp?art=54721&dm=yes

EU: Four countries taken to court over welfare of laying hens
14 Jul 2003
Source: just-food.com

The European Commission has announced that it has decided to refer Austria,
Belgium, Greece and Italy to the European Court of Justice over their
apparent failure to implement the 1999 directive setting out the minimum
standards for the protection of laying hens.

All Member States were obliged to implement the directive in national law by
1 January 2002 and notify the Commission of the measures taken.

The Commission said the Member States concerned received a “reasoned
 opinion” in January 2003 but have still failed to implement the directive,
which is why the Commission has now decided to take them to the European
Court of Justice.

“This Directive was introduced in order to better protect the welfare of
hens kept in battery cages and other rearing systems”, said David Byrne, EU
Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection. “It is imperative that
Member States live up to the obligations they have undertaken.”


Mindy Kursban
Chief Staff Attorney
PCRM
5100 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.
Suite 400
Washington, DC  20016
(o) 202-686-2210, ext. 307
(f) 202-686-2216
mkursban at pcrm.org

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