Today, the European Parliament has adopted a resolution to improve the health and welfare of broiler chickens.
Dutch MEP, Anja Hazekamp (Partij voor de Dieren), comments: “For too many years, chickens have been waiting for protection. And yet, the European Commission hasn’t done a thing.”
“Today, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on broiler farming with a huge majority.
“It calls on the Commission to drastically increase the health and welfare of broiler chickens. It calls for natural light, clean air and more living space for chickens, as well as the use of a slower growing breed of chickens.”
Currently, poultry farmers in Europe are often using extremely fast-growing breeds of chickens that are more susceptible to diseases. The resolution aims to improve animal health and welfare by changing the breed of chickens used and by switching to alternative rearing systems allowing for higher welfare.
The resolution also calls for measures to reduce the use of antibiotics and other antimicrobials, and to ensure that chicken meat imported from third countries complies with EU regulations.
“With this resolution, the Commission has been given a concrete task, it must now act upon it,” Hazekamp concludes.
