Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of Ukraine's implementation of improvements to animal welfare standards for livestock, including a ban on battery cages.

Under the Free Trade Agreement with Ukraine, tariffs on all goods are temporarily removed until March 2029, except for poultry and eggs, where the liberalisation is due to end on 31 March 2028.

The Government has consistently raised the importance of animal welfare standards with the Ukrainian Government, which has assured that all Ukrainian companies currently exporting animal products to the UK fully comply with existing EU animal welfare requirements, including the ban on battery cages for laying hens as set out in Directive 1999/74/EC.

Ukraine is making steps to improve its animal welfare standards. As of 1 January 2026, new welfare standards for livestock were introduced in Ukraine, including on the implementation of a ban on battery cages, and improving housing and treatment for livestock.

The UK will continue to engage with Ukraine on the implementation of improvements to production standards.