HL Deb 05 May 1998 vol 589 c52WA
Baroness Anelay of St. Johns

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to implement the recommendation in the 1997 Farm Animal Welfare Council report that they should not allow GATT WTO arrangements to prevent the banning of imports of shell eggs and egg products into the European Union from those countries in which conventional battery cages are still used. [HL1530]

Lord Donoughue

The Government, under their Presidency of the Council of Ministers, have opened up a discussion aimed at formulating an EU strategy on promoting higher global standards of farm animal welfare standards, including in relation to products of animal origin (for example eggs) being imported into the Union. We are pleased to have launched what we consider to be an important and overdue initiative at the EU level.