Brussels, 21/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on Monday 21 February, most EU agriculture ministers opposed any delay to the deadline of 1 January 2012 by which date conventional battery cages for laying hens must have been replaced. The European Commission complained that it had too little information at its disposal on the implementation by companies of Council Directive 1999/74/EC establishing minimum standards for the protection of laying hens. It gave member states until 1 April...