AGRICULTURE: COMMISSION PROPOSES TO IMPROVE WELFARE OF BROILER CHICKENS

摘要

The European Commission on May 31 tabled a proposal to establish EU animal welfare standards for chickens raised for their meat, known as broiler chickens - by far the largest livestock sector in the EU, with 5 billion birds slaughtered every year. The Directive, if approved by the Council of Ministers, would set out a maximum "stocking density" for live birds and establish a number of minimum conditions to ensure adequate welfare conditions. If the proposed measure passes, this would be the first piece of EU legislation protecting broiler hens, coming 20 years after battery laying hen standards were first agreed. But the proposal was immediately criticised by the Eurogroup for animal welfare, which said it was "seriously inadequate". The proposal will now go to the June 20 Farm Council for discussion by the EU's Agriculture Ministers. The Commission would like to reach an agreement on the legislation by the end of 2005.