Stowarzyszenie Otwarte Klatki
Otwarte Klatki
Stowarzyszenie Otwarte Klatki jest powstałą w 2012 roku ogólnopolską organizacją zrzeszającą osoby, które chcą zmienić los zwierząt gospodarskich.
ID: 088067349647-55
Lobbying Activity
Response to Modernisation of the EU legislation for on-farm animal welfare for certain animals
16 Jul 2025
Otwarte Klatki is a Polish animal advocacy organisation focused on ending the practice of keeping egg-laying hens in cages throughout Poland. Our country is one of the biggest producers of eggs in the European Union. As part of our submission we have provided several Poland-focused reports specifically centered on the translation to cage-free farming in the country. 1: Cage farming is decreasing throughout Poland. The "Withdrawal of cage eggs" report published in 2025 shows that the share of cage farming in Poland has systematically decreased from 87.39% in 2014 to 66.88% in 2025, with 81 out of 173 companies that declared cage-free commitments having already implemented their policies. 5 of the 10 biggest retailers in Poland no longer sell fresh cage eggs. All top retailers are committed to phase out cage eggs by the end of 2025. 5 major retailers have already eliminated processed cage eggs from their own brand products. As the report highlights, cage eggs have also been phased out by tens of the biggest food producers (especially mayonnaise or sweet manufacturers) and restaurant chains. Polish consumers strongly support this transition, with 80.8% believing cage farming doesn't provide adequate living conditions for hens, and 71.8% considering farming conditions important when purchasing eggs. 66.9% are ready to pay more for eggs from farming that ensures better conditions than the cage model. The number of companies already making the transition shows that market-driven transformation is already happening, and other major EU markets have already transitioned e.g. France, Germany, the Netherlands. For years Polish companies have been undertaking significant efforts to move away from cage eggs, negotiating contracts, educating their customers and restructuring their supply chains. We strongly believe that the EU should level the playing field by harmonising standards across the Union. Our report provides concrete, Poland-specific evidence that cage-free transitions are both economically viable and strongly supported by consumers. 2: Welfare issues are inherent in caged systems, meaning that EU regulation is necessary. As part of our work, we conducted an investigation on a farm belonging to the EUs largest egg producer, which exemplifies the systemic problems of cage farming. The investigation provides concrete, visual evidence of the welfare problems that EU legislation aims to address and concludes that the cage system fails to meet hens' basic needs and is inextricably linked to their suffering, with chronic stress from confinement and inability to perform natural behaviors leading to behavioral disorders like feather pecking and cannibalism that result in painful injuries and death. What we documented is not an isolated case but reflects the reality of the entire cage farming industry. We strongly believe that if welfare issues persist at this scale, regulatory intervention is necessary. The "Welfare problems of hens in cage systems" report shows that cage farming systems inherently fail to meet basic animal welfare needs. This is the second investigation at Grupa Woźniak farms with no improvement observed since 2023, demonstrating that current enforcement mechanisms are insufficient. We also strongly urge the Commission to propose legislation to improve and harmonise legislation on broiler welfare, male-chick killing and banning the use of cages for all species, not just hens.
Read full responseResponse to 8th Environment Action Programme – Mid-term Review
25 Jan 2024
The focus on sustainable food system transformation is needed in order to meet EU environmental goals. We believe this should be the priority of EU work, including protein diversification towards plant-based protein sources. We would like to state that 8th EAP is welcomed - especially thematic objectives in Article 2(2)(d); Article 2(2)(e); Article 2(2)(f); and the enabling conditions listed in Article 3(a); Article 3(l); Article 3(n); Article 3(o); Article 3(s). Furthermore, we also would like to emphasize that the achievement of these objectives will not be possible without the adoption of the pending animal welfare proposals and legislative framework for sustainable food systems. We would like to call the European Union to take active actions in this direction, as this should be the priority of environmental work towards sustainable and just systems.
Read full responseMeeting with Janusz Wojciechowski (Commissioner)
17 Apr 2023 · Abandoning cage farming of farm animals; Labelling; Broiler chickens in the welfare law review; Concentration of industrial farms and protests of rural inhabitants against the change of agriculture into industry; Transformation of the food system