Council Minutes, 28 June 2007

WELFARE - Protection of chickens kept for meat production

The following is an extract from the Minutes of the Environment Council held on the 28 June 2007

The Council adopted by qualified majority (the Austrian delegation voted against) a directive laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production with the objective of introducing animal welfare improvements in the intensive farming of chickens (10072/07, 10308/07 ADD1).

Certain type of chicken farming such as organic and free range are excluded from the scope of the Directive together with holdings rearing less than 500 birds.

The directive introduces the following provisions:

• general requirements for all holdings - maximum 33kg/m² (including e.g. requirements for drinkers, litter, noise, light, cleaning and record keeping as well as monitoring and reporting of post mortem inspection, with a special care for lesions correlated to poor welfare).
• possible derogation for a maximum of 39 kg/m² under additional provisions;
• "reward system", i.e. possibility to grant a bonus of 3 kg/m2 if high welfare management is achieved;
• good practices guides to be developed at national/European level;
• training of farmers dealing with chickens kept for meat production.

The Member States will have to comply with the provisions of the directive by 30 June 2010 at the latest.