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European Union Of Wholesale with Eggs, Egg Products and Poultry and Game

EUWEP

To represent the interests of the EU egg sector in discussions with EU institutions

Lobbying Activity

Response to Modernisation of the EU legislation for on-farm animal welfare for certain animals

16 Jul 2025

EUWEP welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the call for evidence on for an impact assessment of the revision of the EU legislation on animal welfare. In the following part of the memo EUWEP gives its feedback on the different topics related to animal welfare. First of all EUWEP wants to stress that in general the Animal welfare legislation, including the different Animal Welfare labels and certification systems, environmental and labour legislation are of the highest standards in the world. EUWEP want to stress that improvements in animal welfare can only become legislation if they are based on thorough scientific evidence. We should not apply human feelings on animal behaviour. Secondly all improvements in a better animal welfare will result in a higher cost price of the animal products. The market should be willing to pay this price. This does not release us from the obligation to continue improving animal welfare. Given that the European standards and thus the higher price level on the world market, this is a challenge to protect European egg producers from the non-EU eggs and egg products. Key Points: 1. Food security and continuity of Food supply in the EU: In the Vision for agriculture and food of the European Commission (published in February 2025) fosters trust and dialogue across the entire value chain within the EU and globally. The Vision emphasises close engagement with relevant institutions, farmers, food chain operators and civil society at local and regional levels, addressing their concerns and ideas. Recognising the essential role of farmers in our lives, the Vision seeks to boost the agri-food sectors competitiveness and attractiveness. And finally states also Europes farmers are vital for ensuring food security and providing healthy, quality food to citizens. (Source: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/overview-vision-agriculture-food/vision-agriculture-and-food_en). With this view in mind Euwep commented on the New Welfare legislation. 2. Phasing out cages: Let the market take the lead; should be market driven, the number of commercial layers housed in enriched cages is already reduced to less than 38%! The Egg sector never received any subventions for changing production systems; all market driven! 3. Indicators and digitalisation: a. For indicators In the Welfare Quality system animal and outcome related indicators based on scientific research have been found. If research for new indicators should start, the indicators should be both animal based as well as science based (objective criteria). b. For digitalisation: A lot of the farm equipment and farm-administration is already digitalised, if this would include welfare indicators that could help. If the data should be centralized to be used for comparison or inspection purposes, this is a time and money consuming operation. A lot of GDPR-rules will have to be dealt with. And the safety and security of the data ánd the system is the most important issue. 4. Imports requirements: All imports of both egg, egg products and further processed product containing eggs should meet EU requirements at least on Animal Welfare. Hens is battery cages is the most wide spread production system outside EU. If the EU should decide to exclude this production system, in FTAs only 0 duty could be applied if animal welfare legislation is on the same level. EU legislation is responsible for a differences in cost price from around 12-16%. Please find more details and the above comments in the attached document Kind Regards EUWEP
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Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Commissioner) and

13 Mar 2025 · Negotiations with Ukraine under Article 29 of the Association Agreement (tariff liberalisation) – Position of European agricultural stakeholders (sugar, poultry, eggs, ethanol, maize, wheat and honey)

Response to Further reciprocal tariff liberalisation under Art. 29 of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement

30 Sept 2024

EUWEP welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the call for evidence on the EU-Ukraine trade further reciprocal tariff liberalisation under Art. 29 of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. First of all, EUWEP would like to state clearly that we support EU policies aimed at helping Ukrainian citizens and contributing to the war efforts of the Ukrainian army in this terrible war. However, we do not find further trade liberalisation a relevant tool to achieve these objectives, since it has a huge potential to destabilise the EU markets for sensitive sectors, especially in our case for the egg sector. This is illustrated by the full liberalisation in 2022 of the import of eggs and egg products which led to an increase of over 100% of the quantities imported in the EU between 2021 and 2023! Please find our more detailed comment in the attached file. We conclude in this document the following: EUWEP believes that the Commission should acknowledge the EU egg sector as a sensitive sector, as the Commission has done in other Free Trade Agreements, and carefully consider the appropriateness of granting additional access to Ukraine for the egg tariff lines in the renegotiations of the agreement under article 29. Any tariff quotas for eggs allocated to Ukraine should in all cases: fully respect and fully comply with all relevant EU legislations, for instance on animal welfare (as already foreseen but not yet implemented in Ukrainian law) and the use of antibiotics. be regularly audited by the Commission to make sure standards are truly implemented on the ground. take into account the effects of the high level of concentration and structure of the Ukrainian egg-sector vs the structure of the EU production.
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Response to Protection of animals during transport

10 Apr 2024

EUWEP The overarching organisation representing the interests of European Egg Traders and Egg Processors welcomes the opportunity to give feedback on the proposed changes with regards to the legislation on the protection of animals during transport. Please see attached our feedback.
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Response to Review of egg marketing standards

15 May 2023

Please see attached document for EUWEP's feedback.
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Response to Marking of eggs on farm as general rule

15 May 2023

Please see attached document for EUWEP's feedback.
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Response to Review of egg marketing standards

15 May 2023

Please see attached document for EUWEP's feedback.
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Meeting with Joanna Stawowy (Cabinet of Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski)

23 Feb 2022 · Continuity of the free range sector within the European egg market

Response to Revision of EU marketing standards for agricultural products

16 Feb 2021

EUWEP’s Position and input for The European Marketing standards on Eggs EUWEP wants to express her appreciation regarding the possibility offered in the “Have your say system” to comment on the European Marketing standards for eggs. EUWEP represents het European Egg packers, Egg graders, Egg traders, Egg processors and Egg product traders all over Europe. First EUWEP wants to emphasize that the marketing standards for eggs created a level playing field within the European Union, this is very important for the competitiveness of the European egg sector as a whole. For the international trade it creates a clear level of production standards to be fulfilled on the European market. On the other hand there are some points we would like to see changed. 1. 16 weeks period in case of housing order: Seen the latest outbreaks in winters of for instance 2015 -2016 and 2020-2021 AI outbreaks last longer than a 16 weeks period. Another solution has to be found, since the continuity and thus the sustainability of this sector is at risk. 2. Solar panels in the outdoor area Solar panels in the outdoor area act as both perfect hiding places for the birds as well as increasing sustainability of the sector. 3. NON EU compliant eggs and egg products: a. If these eggs are sold in the supermarket – this should be on the packaging (is already legislation). These prints should have minimal sizes. b. If non-Eu compliant eggs are used for producing egg products the egg products should be market similar to eggs as being non- compliant with EU rules – to be printed on the packaging. 4. Sell by and best before dates: Only a best before date would be enough. The sell by date leads to food waste, since the few eggs which are not sold at 21 days are just thrown away. 5. Eggs and egg products only to be derived from eggs from Gallus gallus: With the development of novel or alternative foods and non-animal protein, the egg is protected according to the definitions in EU/589/2007 The industry wants to see products which are generally understood by the consumer to be made from eggs, such as omelettes, to also be regulated in the new marketing standards, More details on the above mentioned point is attached.
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Response to Farm to Fork Strategy

13 Mar 2020

The European Egg sector, the Egg traders and the Egg processing industry united in EUWEP, supports the necessity to reduce the effects of climate change to protect our world. However given the position in the world of the EU and the trade both into and out of the EU, EUWEP feels the need to comment on the Green Deal and the ‘Farm to Fork’-strategy in order to benefit from sustainable green transition. EUWEP appreciates the proposed holistic approach to address the climate crisis. Her main point is the Requests for a clear labeling of products, but prefers a clear equivalency of non-EU produced eggs and eggs products to EU legislation - not only on environmental aspects, but also on welfare, labour etc. Please find attached our position paper
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Response to Organics production rules

2 Dec 2019

It is vital that a 350 metres radius form the building is allowed. Our biggest concern is the proposed amendment increasing the withdrawal period for veterinary medicines to a minimum of 48 hrs. This implies that eggs laid during the application of a veterinary medicine and up to a period of 48 hrs after that cannot be sold as organic. This will have disastrous effects on the sector (see attachment). The use of veterinary medicines is already strictly regulated with few alternatives available. Such an amendment could bring about unwanted behaviour e.g. encourage unregistered use of veterinary medicines, unwillingness to use medicines amongst laying hens causing unnecessary suffering of individual hens. We kindly request the Commission that the proposed amendment introducing a withdrawal period of 48 hrs is revisited and discussed with the sector to find proposed solutions which could be adopted by the sector.
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Meeting with Jerzy Bogdan Plewa (Director-General Agriculture and Rural Development) and EuroCommerce and

20 Feb 2017 · Exchange of view in relation to Avian Flu

Meeting with Tom Tynan (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

30 Jan 2017 · Business discussion

Meeting with Miguel Ceballos Baron (Cabinet of Vice-President Cecilia Malmström)

30 Jan 2015 · European egg sector and trade relations