Strong international support for a ban on hen cages in Ukraine

Ukraine is the world's largest producer of eggs. Egg production in battery cages is still widely practised, with so-called enriched cages being used in a smaller proportion of the production, and free-range being merely an exception. The joint letter was sent to Mr Klymenok, Head of the Animal Health and Welfare Department of the Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Medicine, Ukraine.
 
"We make this call with the best interests of Ukraine in mind, and for improved animal welfare for millions of animals. To truly strengthen animal welfare and facilitate Ukraine's path to EU membership, we are convinced that a national ban in Ukraine on all cage keeping of hens is necessary", says Benny Andersson, CEO of Project 1882.  

Given the ongoing EU review of animal welfare legislation, where a ban on cages in line with the End the Cage Age initiative and animal welfare requirements in accordance with EU legislation for imports to the EU are expected, it would be beneficial for Ukraine in several ways to introduce a ban on cages for hens as soon as possible.

Alongside Project 1882, the letter was signed by these organisations: 

• Dzīvnieku brīvība, Latvia  
• Dierenbescherming, the Netherlands  
• Freedom and Respect for Every Earthling, Romania  
• OBRAZ obránci zvířat, Czech Republic  
• Tušti narvai, Lithuania  
• Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.V., Germany  
• Humánny pokrok, Slovakia  
• NOAH, Norway  
• AETP (Animal Enterprise Transparency Project), Slovenia 
• L214, France  
• CAAI (Campaigns and Activism for Animals in the Industry), Bulgaria 
• Una Terra Foundation, Hungary