Brussels, 23/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission sent a letter of formal notice to nine countries (Germany, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Poland and Portugal) on Thursday 21 February 2013, inviting them to take measures to comply with the provisions of Directive 2008/120/EC on the welfare of sows (see EUROPE 10791). It then went on to the next stage of infringement proceedings against these countries on Thursday 23 January 2014.
The Commission decided to send a reasoned opinion to four of the above countries that have not yet fully implemented the rules to ensure that sows are reared in groups and not in individual pens during part of their gestation period. The four countries in question are Belgium, Cyprus, Greece and France. The obligation came into effect on 1 January 2013 after a transitional 12-year period. If these countries do not comply with the EU regulation within two months, the Commission may decide to refer the matter to the Court of Justice of the EU. The Commission also sent a letter of formal notice to two other member states - Slovenia and Finland - that have not fully applied the rule relating to individual pens for sows. Unless these two countries come into line with EU legislation within two months, they too will receive a reasoned opinion. (LC/transl.jl)