The organisation of farmers and agri-cooperatives of the EU (Copa-Cogeca) on Tuesday 31 January called upon the European Commission for a temporary derogation to the European rule requiring that if free-range flocks remain housed for more than 12 weeks, their eggs may no longer be labelled 'free range' but downgraded to 'barn'.
The housing requirements have been in place in several member states for around 12 weeks in order to prevent outbreaks of bird flu.
At the most recent Agriculture Council in January, the Netherlands, supported by a number of other member states, called for a similar relaxation of the EU rules to allow producers to continue to label their eggs free range (see EUROPE 11710).
In a letter to the Director General for Agriculture the Commission, Jerzy Plewa, Copa-Cogeca requested an exemption, but also, in the framework of the current procedure of revising the trading standards, for this exception to be written into the rules. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)