European Citizens' Initiative: Commission registers 'End the Cage Age' initiative

The College of Commissioners has today decided to register a European Citizens' Initiative entitled 'End the Cage Age'.

The stated objectives of the proposed Citizens' Initiative are to end "inhumane treatment of farm animals" kept in cages. The organisers are asking the Commission to propose legislation to prohibit the use of: cages for laying hens, rabbits, pullets, broiler breeders, layer breeders, quail, ducks and geese; farrowing crates for sows; sow stalls and individual calf pens, where not already prohibited.

The Commission's decision to register the Initiative concerns only the legal admissibility of the proposal. The Commission has not analysed the substance at this stage.