Perspectives and challenges for the EU egg sector

From 2012, egg producers in the EU must comply with new standards for layer housing. A survey in eight important member states makes clear that considerable differences between countries exist. Prediction scenarios indicate what long term production will look like. By Pascale Magdelaine, ITAVI and Véronique Gonnier CNPO , France* For ten years and more, production systems within the EU have registered a strong diversification, with a switch from cages to alternative housing systems, due