Source: European Parliament
Access to open air areas for poultry for at least one third of their life is one of the key features for the organic production of poultry and iconographic images of this requirement are often used as a marketing tool.
Rules on access to open air areas for poultry were reviewed by Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products[1] following the recommendations of the Expert Group for Technical Advice on Organic Production[2].
Regulation (EU) 2018/848 provides a certain flexibility in the implementation of continuous daytime open-air access for poultry in relation to the physiological and physical conditions of the birds (feather coverage) or temporary animal health restrictions imposed on the basis of EU legislation but does not cover permanent structural settings without any access to open air areas or only access to verandas[3].
Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 empowers the Commission to set minimum surfaces for outdoor areas for poultry production. Annex I part IV to Regulation (EU) 2020/464[4] sets minimum outdoors area surfaces for different categories of poultry that may be adapted by Member States. Article 26(7) of that regulation[5] sets transitional periods for poultry producers to adapt in case where structural changes are needed.
The current regulatory framework provides high animal welfare standards for organic production in the EU.
- [1] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/848/2024-12-01
- [2] https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/document/download/580c76bb-6cef-4183-9713-28afaa983161_en?filename=final_report_on_poultry.pdf
- [3] Points 1.6.5 and 1.9.4.4 of Part II of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/848 ‘1.6.5. Open air areas may be partially covered. Verandas shall not be considered as open air areas. 1.9.4.4 (h) open air areas for poultry shall be covered mainly with vegetation’.
- [4] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2020/464/2021-11-25
- [5] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2020/464/oj Article 26(7) of Regulation (EU) 2020/464: ‘7. By way of derogation from Section 2 of Part IV of Annex I to this regulation, for holdings or production units producing pullets in poultry facilities built, refurbished or brought into use before the date of entry into application of this regulation in compliance with Regulations (EC) No 834/2007 and (EC) No 889/2008 and for which major adaptations of the structure of the poultry houses or additional land acquisition are necessary to comply with the rules of Section 2 of Part IV of Annex I to this regulation, shall comply with the stocking density and the minimum surface of indoor and outdoor areas for pullets and brother roosters laid down in Section 2 of Part IV of Annex I to this regulation as from 1 January 2030 at the latest’.