7 October 2010
EURO MEP PREDICTS SEVERE IMPACT ON LOCAL EGG PRODUCTION

West Midlands Independent MEP, Nikki Sinclaire has been increasing the pressure on the European Commission to recognise that there is a serious problem over compliance with the EU’s forthcoming ban on battery cage produced eggs

Said Nikki 'British egg production is under threat from cut price eggs which have been produced by countries still rearing chickens in appalling conditions. British, Dtch and German farmers have been investing in new ethical practices - which has increased their costs, but other countries such as France, Spain and Poland will continue with inhumane practices and the EU are powerless to prevent it. Another indictment of this expensive talking shopFurther to her visit at Oaklands Eggs farm in Wem, Shropshire (photo attached) and other egg producers Ms Sinclaire has asked formal questions of the EU Commission took to raise the issue of a potential 83 million (technically) illegal eggs produced per day in the EU, after the ban comes into force on 1st January 2012.
Virtually none of these eggs will come from the UK, but all of which may try to penetrate the UK market unless the Commission recognises that that there really is a problem and does something about it.
Mr Sinclaire said: “The Commissioner surprised many of us by replying that it was nothing to do with him and would be the responsibility of the Health & Consumer Policy Commissioner, John Dalli. This means that all the letters written to him by UK producers would appear to be a waste of time. However, this is not quite the case as any change in marketing regulations (which we desperately need) will be within his own portfolio. It suits the Commission to pass the buck around like this when the going gets tough!

"I strongly advise egg producers to keep up the pressure by writing to Commissioner Dalli, if they have not already done so. Further discussions on the subject will also be taking place in the Parliament’s Environment Committee and I will be lobbying the committee.
Ms Sinclaire added “I urged the Commission to wake up to the fact that there really is a problem and that the Commission itself is responsible for creating it in the first place. I also insisted that as well as a proper labelling regime and a ban on the intra-community trade of battery cage eggs, there should be no question of subsidising the non-compliant producers, after the ban comes into force.
“ The UK is a net contributor to the EU and our taxpayers should not be picking up the bill for creating a situation where subsidised, poorer quality eggs produced to lower welfare standards in Spain are undermining our unsubsidised market here. The response from the Commission was weak. They said that several member states were not providing the required information on speed of compliance and so the Commission does not know what is going on.”
Infraction proceedings have been initiated against three member states to force them to provide the data, but this could take years to have any effect. “There appears to be a complete paralysis on the issue and I, along with friendly MEPs from other parties, will try to force a debate on this in a future full plenary session, in front of Commissioner Dalli. The question is, will he turn up?”, said Ms Sinclaire.