UK egg farmers want EU to ban exports from producers not compliant with conventional cage ban

The U.K. government has made an official representation to the European Commission to prevent export of eggs from other EU countries to the U.K. that do not comply with EU housing standards. The EU has banned conventional cages, effective 2012, although enriched cages, free range and organic systems are approved.
Some countries, including Poland, have requested waivers from the rule. Jim Paice, Minister of DEFRA stated, “the U.K. industry has worked hard to convert out of battery cages ahead of the European deadline, so that it wouldn’t be fair for them to have to compete with eggs from other European countries that haven’t met the deadline.”
The U.K. government will also introduce a ban on beak trimming with the exception of infrared treatment at day-old.