Why did the Egg Marketing Regulations need amending following adoption of the Welfare of Laying Hens Directive?
The amendments to make egg labelling compulsory meets the Council’s request to the Commission to bring into line the marketing standards currently applicable to hen eggs with the new provisions in the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2002. Compulsory labelling of hen eggs will improve consumer information and choice as well as assisting with traceability and enforcement. The criteria for free range and barn production also had to be amended to bring into line with the Welfare Directive requirements for alternative systems.
