Speaking at a Copa Cogeca meeting in Brussels on Monday, Stewart Houston, head of the British National Pig Association, has called on the EU to take more definite action over noncompliance ahead of the Pig Welfare Directive, which comes into force on 1st January 2013.

The NPA director warned that a failure to fully enforce European pig welfare rules by the deadline will damage the image of the industry; at the beginning of 2012, widespread non-compliance caused major setbacks when the Welfare of Laying Hens Directive came into force. As a result, the price of eggs rose, non-compliant farmers and governments were criticised and the EU itself did not escape denigration over its handling of the infractions.

Mr Houston told delegates gathered in Belgium that, unless the deadline is met, the pig sector’s reputation will be tarnished in Europe.

The pig welfare laws will partially ban use of gestation crates, though these have been banned for over a decade in the UK and Sweden. According to the European Commission, 15 member states will be compliant with the new regulation when it comes into force at New Year, though work is ongoing to speed up efforts to achieve compliance in the remaining nine member states.

Only three states have actually achieved full compliance. The commission figures show five member states will be at least 90 per cent compliant by 2013, two will be 70-90 per cent compliant and two more have yet to submit data.

Mr Houston said, "In the UK we have battled poor profitability, high feed costs and difficult planning restrictions which have forced many producers out of the industry. It is very important that the reputation of the sector is intact for those that want to continue producing pork."

"I am very concerned that the EU's excellent work on welfare could be damaged by a handful of countries that fail to enforce these welfare regulations. I cannot over-emphasise the need for European decision makers, Member State governments, processors, retailers and producers to work together towards compliance as quickly as possible.

He went on to call on European policy makers to ensure that compliant farmers within Europe are not undermined by cheaper meat from lower welfare systems in third countries after the new legislation is introduced and added, "By the same token the European market must not be distorted by pork products from non-compliant farms within Europe."

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