There are minimum standards for the protection of laying hens set out in egg legislation.
Member States may authorise derogations for establishments with fewer than 350 laying hens or those rearing breeding laying hens regarding certain structural obligations under Directive 1999/74/EC (laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens).
The different production methods are detailed below:
1. Free-Range Eggs
Free-range eggs must be produced in systems that satisfy the conditions of Directive 1999/74/EC with specific conditions laid down in Annex II of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/246.
Under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2465, Annex II, Point 1(a), "Free-range eggs" require hens to have continuous daytime access to open-air runs. However, if the government imposes housing orders (for example due to Avian Influenza), a derogation allows these eggs to continue being marketed as "Free-range" even if the birds are kept indoors for the duration of the official restriction. This is also applicable to organic production systems, if steps are taken to facilitate that all other provisions for organic production are met in full.
2. Barn Eggs
Barn eggs must be produced in production systems that satisfy at least the animal welfare conditions laid down in Article 4 of Directive 1999/74/EC.
3. Eggs from Enriched Cages
Eggs from enriched cages must be produced in systems that satisfy at least the animal welfare conditions laid down in Article 6 of Directive 1999/74/EC.
For organic production, you can use terms referring to the organic production method (such as "organic") set out in Article 30 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products, provided all the requirements of that legislation are met.
All egg production units must be registered with the competent authorities in Member States. They must each have a distinguishing number which will be used to trace eggs back to the farm where they were produced.
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