Health inspectors in the Czech Republic have begun seizing eggs imported into the country from Poland and Hungary which it suspects were produced from hens in illegal battery cages. A ban on the old ‘unenriched’ cages came into effect in the EU on 1st January 2012, though the majority of member states were not fully compliant in time.

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Producers in the UK have pushed for the government to take similar measures, though despite vociferous complaints about the failure of most member states to meet the ban, nothing has been done. In December, farming minister Jim Paice admitted that the government would not pursue a ban on illegal eggs. He said “The UK would not impose a unilateral ban on eggs produced in battery cages, citing ‘very significant legal and financial implications’ and practical difficulties in enforcing such a ban.”

It transpired at the beginning of the year that the UK itself was not fully compliant, as a handful of producers had not upgraded their systems; the government assured that the country would be fully compliant by February, but has made no moves to prevent the illegal eggs from non-compliant producers from undercutting their counterparts, who spent an estimated £400 million to prepare themselves for the ban. The lack of action has been severely criticised by animal welfare campaigners who said more should be done to prevent illegal eggs from circulating.

The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) announced at the start of the year that it was seeking legal advice with a view to launching judicial review proceedings against the government over its refusal to ban illegally produced eggs. The council said it believes that around 25 per cent of the EU industry is now illegal (or around 50 million hens); the BEIC said it wants government officials to check imports of eggs and egg products to ensure illegal eggs are not being sold and undermining compliant UK producers.

The BEIC, which controls the ‘British Lion’ label, assured that all British Lion producers met the 1st January deadline and said it was “appalled” at the producers in the UK who did not comply, weakening the industry’s bargaining position; the council recommended consumers select only eggs displaying the logo to ensure their eggs come from hens housed in the new ‘enriched’ cages.

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