Twelve EU nations risk court action for cruelty to hens

(BRUSSELS) - Twelve of 13 EU nations warned to improve the lives of laying-hens or face legal action have failed to comply with animal welfare rules set by the European Commission, an EU source said Monday.

With one out of seven laying-hens in Europe -- or 47 million of 330 million-- cooped up in cages no bigger than a standard piece of typing paper, 13 nations were told two months ago to comply with animal welfare rules or be referred to the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice.

But a source close to the case said only Romania appeared to have acted on the warning, while Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal needed "to make extra efforts".

Those countries risk receiving before the summer a final warning, known as "a reasoned opinion", the last stage before referral to the court, the source said.

Under a 1999 law that came into force January 1, egg-laying hens must be kept in so-called "enriched cages", with "extra space to nest, scratch and roost."

The legislation states hens be given at least 750 square centimetres of space -- a little larger than a piece of A4 paper -- as well as a nest-box, litter, perches and claw-shorteners "to satisfy their biological and behavioural needs."