Today, the European egg industry appears to be at a very important stage of its history. The regulatory, economic and sanitary context is changing, both within the EU and at an international level.

The different drivers or limitations for the future can include:
- The European regulation on animal welfare, which should emphasise the production systems' diversification and the development of alternative systems.
- Increasing requirements in the field of environment and sanitary safety, which could induce extra productions costs.
- A strong volatility of raw material prices (for fees) and its incidences on production costs.
- Trends in purchasing behaviours and consumption habits. On the one hand, the economic crisis reinforces consumer price sensitivity, which is in favour of egg consumption. On the other hand, more and more consumers are aware of animal welfare issues, rearing methods, and the way animals are fed. The increase in demand for organic products is a good example of this trend.
- A sanitary background marked by the endemic avian flu situation in some parts of the world.
- WTO negotiations, which could, if an agreement were concluded, lead to a reduction of import duties and to an opening of the European market.

In this context, the European egg industry must make much effort to adapt production tools in perspective of 2012. Egg producers have to make some investment decisions, which will commit them for the next 20 years, whereas technical models have yet to be tested or improved. The development of alternative egg production should keep in pace with the demand changes in order to avoid over-supply..

Future production systems will have to consider animal welfare, provide sanitary guarantees, and remain at a competitive price for the catering and food industries, which represent an increasing part of global demand. This competitiveness will increase in a context of globalisation and opening of the European market to supply from third countries, which won't withstand equivalent.


Source: World Poultry, No 11, Volume 25, 2009