EN   EN 
 
 
 EUROPEAN  
COMMISSION   
Brussels, XXX   
[…](2023) XXX  draft  
 
COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) …/...  
of XXX  
supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council as regards marketing standards for eggs, and repealing Commission Regulation 
(EC) No  589/2008   
   
EN 1  EN EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM  
1. CONTEXT  OF THE  DELEGATED  ACT  
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 
December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products 
and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 
and (EC) No 1234/20071 (‘CMO Regulation ’), lays down rules on marketing standards  for 
eggs and empowers the Commission to adopt delegated acts and implementing acts in that 
respect. In order to ensure the smooth functioning of the eggs market in the new legal 
framework, certain rules have to be adopted by means of such acts. Those acts  should replace 
Commission Regulation (EC) No 589/20 08, which should therefore be repealed.  
In its Communication ‘A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally -
friendly food system’, the Commission announced, the revision of marketing sta ndards to 
provide for the uptake and supply of sustainable agricultural products and to reinforce the role 
of sustainability criteria taking into account the possible impact of these standards on food 
loss and waste.  
This Delegated Regulation presents cert ain changes to the existing legal framework to 
reinforce sustainability.  
2. CONSULTATIONS  PRIOR  TO THE  ADOPTION  OF THE  ACT  
The Commission consulted experts from the Member States within the Expert Group for 
Agricultural Markets, sector Animal Products, in the meeting of 25 August  2022, 22 
September  2022 and 20 October  2022. 
The Commission transmitted the draft delegated act to  the European Parliament and to the 
Council, when convening the Expert Group meetings.  
The draft delegated regulation was posted in the European Commission portal ‘Have your 
say’ from xx xxx  to xx xxx  2023 to gather the views of citizens and stakeholders.  It received 
feedback by x stakeholders. Those requests and suggestions …  
WTO partners were notified.  
3. LEGAL  ELEMENTS  OF THE  DELEGATED  ACT  
The act contains 26 articles which include provisions from Commission Regulation (EC) No 
589/20 082 that have to be  implemented by delegated acts, in accordance with the delegation 
given in Articles 75(2), 79, 86(a) and 89 of the CMO Regulation. Those provisions relate to 
the classification criteria, the marking and packing requirements, the type of farming and 
product ion method, the preservation and handling, the use of optional reserved terms, the 
tolerance levels and the conditions for imports and exports.  
The Delegated Regulations builds on the existing legal framework and presents certain 
changes, amongst others, s ustainability concerns and new expectations from consumers.  
Compared to the currently applicable legal framework, this delegated act removes the date of 
minimum durability for eggs,  clarifies the marketing of aromatised eggs, aligns rules on ‘free 
                                                 
1  OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671.  
2 Commission Regulation (EC) No 589/2008 of 23 June 2008 laying down detailed rules for 
implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 as regards marketing standards for eggs  (OJ L 
163, 24.6.2008, p. 6 ).  
EN 2  EN range ’ marking to those applicable for organic eggs when laying hens are prevented access to 
open air runs on the basis of Union legislation and  extends the permitted uses of open air runs 
to allow for the installation of solar panels.   
EN 3  EN COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) …/...  
of XXX  
supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council as regards marketing standards for eggs, and repealing Commission Regulation 
(EC) No  589/2008  
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,  
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union , 
Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in 
agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, 
(EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/20071, and in particular Article 75(2), Article 79, 
Article 86, point (a), and Article 89 thereof,   
Whereas:  
(1) In its communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, 
healthy and environmentally -friendly food system ’2, the Commission  announc ed the 
revis ion of  marketing standards to provide for the uptake and supply of sustainable 
agricultural prod ucts and to reinforce the role of sustainability criteria taking into 
account the possible impact of these standards on food loss and waste . Within this 
context the existing egg marketing standards should also be modified taking into 
account technical deve lopments and consumer demand and the evolution of avian 
influenza as risk factor for producers of free range eggs.  
(2) Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 repealed and replaced Council Regulation (EC) No 
1234/20073. Part II, Title II, Chapter I, Section 1,  of Regulat ion (EU) No 1308/2013 
lays down rules on marketing standards for eggs , without introducing any substantial 
change,  and empowers the Commission to adopt delegated and implementing acts in 
that respect. In order to ensure the smooth functioning of the eggs m arket in the new 
legal framework, certain rules have to be adopted by means of such acts. This 
Regulation and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/ … 4[PLAN/2022/1876 
– to be completed by OP] should replace Commission Regulation (EC) No  589/20 085, 
whic h should therefore be repealed . 
(3) In order to allow for the smooth functioning of the eggs market, marketing standards 
for eggs should cover the classification criteria, the preservation and handling, the 
                                                 
1 OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671 . 
2 COM/2020/381 final . 
3 Council  Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of 
agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO 
Regulation) (OJ L 299, 16.11.2007, p. 1 ). 
4 Commission Implementing Regulat ion (EU) …/ … [PLAN/2022/1876 – to be completed by OP ] of […] 
laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and 
of the Council as regards marketing standards for eggs  (OJ L […], p. […]).  
5 Commission Regula tion (EC) No 589/2008 of 23 June 2008 laying down detailed rules for 
implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 as regards marketing standards for eggs  (OJ L 
163, 24.6.2008, p. 6 ).  
EN 4  EN marking and packing requirements, the use of optional reserved terms, the tolerance 
levels, as well as the conditions for imports and exports. Since all these aspects are 
closely interlinked, the rules on marketing standards for eggs should be maintained as 
a coherent set of rules, and therefore be laid down in one delegated act.  
(4) Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council6 and 
Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council7 apply to 
eggs. Since they are relevant in the area of eggs marketing standards and in order to 
ensure coherence,  reference should be made to the extent possible to those horizontal 
Regulations.  
(5) Council Directive 1999/74/EC8 established principles on keeping hens in different 
farming systems.  Since its provisions are linked to eggs marketing standards, and in 
order to ensure coherence,  reference should be made to the extent possible to th at 
Directive.  
(6) The quality characteristics for Class A eggs should be fixed in order to guarantee the 
high quality of eggs to be delivered directly to the final consumer and to set criteria 
that can be checked by inspection services. Such quality characteristics should be 
based on Standard No 42 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe 
(UN/ECE) concerning the marketing and commercial quality controls of eggs -in-shell 
moving in international trade between and to UN/ECE member countries.   
(7) In general, eggs should not be washed or cleaned because such practices can cause 
damage to the egg shell, which is an effective barrier to bacterial ingress with an array 
of antimic robial properties. Moreover, Class A eggs should not be washed because of 
the potential damage to the physical barriers, such as the cuticle, which can occur 
during or after washing. Such damage may favour trans -shell contamination with 
bacteria and moistu re loss and thereby increase the risk to consumers, particularly if 
subsequent drying and storage conditions are not optimal.  
(8) However, some practices, such as the treatment of eggs with ultra -violet rays, should 
not be interpreted as constituting a cleanin g process. However, egg -washing systems 
subject to authorisation and operating under carefully controlled conditions are used in 
some Member States with good results. According to the opinion of the European 
Food Safety Authority, Scientific Panel on Biolo gical Hazards on the request from the 
Commission related to the Microbiological risks on washing of table eggs adopted on 
7 September  20059, the egg -washing practice as performed in certain packing centres 
can be sustained from a hygienic standpoint, provi ded, inter alia, that a code of 
practice for egg -washing systems is developed.  
(9) Class A eggs should be graded by weight. A limited number of weight grades and 
corresponding clear terms should therefore be fixed as well as minimum labelling 
requirements, whi ch do not rule out additional voluntary labelling, provided the 
                                                 
6 Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the 
hygiene of foodstuffs  (OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 1 ). 
7 Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying 
down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin  (OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 55 ). 
8 Council Directive 1999/74/EC of 19 July 1999 laying down minimum standards for the protection of 
laying hens  (OJ L 203, 3.8.1999, p. 53 ). 
9 The EFSA Journal No 269, 2005, p. 1.   
EN 5  EN requirements of  Regulation (EU) No 1169/ 2011 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council10 are met.  
(10) Only undertakings whose premises and technical equipment are suited to the scale and 
type of their operations, and which therefore allow eggs to be handled properly, should 
be authorised, as packing centres, to grade eggs by quality and weight.  
(11) In order to  ensure the freshness of the eggs, m aximum time limits for the grading, 
marking and packing of eggs and the marking of packs should be fixed.  
(12) In addition to the general obligation to establish traceability of food, feed, food -
producing animals, and any oth er substance intended to be, or expected to be, 
incorporated into food or feed at all stages of production, processing and distribution 
in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of 
the Council11, for the purpose of carryi ng out checks, the information to be indicated 
on transport packaging containing eggs and on accompanying documents, should be 
laid down.  
(13) The marking of eggs with the producer code at the production site is essential where 
eggs are delivered to another Mem ber State. With regard to Class B eggs in particular, 
it should  be specified that if the producer code alone does not clearly indicate the 
quality grading, Class B eggs should be marked with another indication.  
(14) The characteristics of the other possible ind ications for marking Class B eggs as 
referred to in Part VI, Point III(1), second subparagraph,  of Annex VII to Regulation 
(EU) No 1308/2013  should be defined.  
(15) When eggs are delivered directly to the food industry for processing and there is 
sufficient gua rantee of their final destination, Member States may grant ex ceptions  
from the marking requirement to operators who so request  provided that eggs are 
delivered directly from the production site to the food industry.  
(16) Regulation (EU) No 1169/ 2011 lays down r ules of a general nature applicable to all 
foodstuffs put on the market. However, some specific marking requirements should be 
provided for packs  of eggs . 
(17) The terms for the identification of the farming method as well as the m inimum 
requirements for system s of production for the various egg farming methods should be 
laid down . 
(18) Where eggs are sold with an  optional reserved term highlighting the particular 
freshness of the egg, a maximum time limit should be fixed for such indications.  
(19) Where eggs are sold indicatin g the particular feed formula fed to the laying hens , 
minimum requirements for the use of such indications should be laid down.  
(20) When eggs are  sold loose, certain information normally on the pack should be 
accessible to the consumer.  
                                                 
10 Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on 
the provision of food information to consumers, amending Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EC) 
No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Commission Directive 
87/250/EEC, Council Dire ctive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 2000/13/EC 
of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Directives 2002/67/EC and 2008/5/EC and 
Commission Regulation (EC) No 608/2004 (OJ L 304, 22.11.2011, p. 18).  
11 Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying 
down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety 
Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety  (OJ L 31 , 1.2.2002, p. 1 ).  
EN 6  EN (21) In addition to  the general hygiene requirements for the wrapping and packaging of 
foodstuffs, some additional requirements should be laid down in order to minimise the 
risk of deterioration or contamination of eggs during storage and transport. Such 
standards should be based on UN/ECE Standard No 42.  
(22) Industrial eggs are unfit for human consumption. Special bands or labels should 
therefore be required for the easy identification of packaging containing such eggs.  
(23) Third countries may have requirements different from those fixed for the Union for the 
marketing of eggs. In order to facilitate exports, eggs packed and intended for export 
outside the Union should be allowed to conform to such requirements.  
(24) Details should be fixed regarding the assessment of the equivalence of t hird-country 
marketing standards with Union legislation to be conducted by the Commission at the 
request of third countries. Rules on marking and labelling requirements for eggs 
imported from third countries should be laid down.  
(25) Certain tolerances should b e allowed when checking compliance with the marketing 
standards. Such tolerances should differ according to the different marketing stages.  
(26) Egg supply for the retail trade in the French overseas departments relies partly on the 
supply of eggs from the Euro pean continent  because local production is still not  
sufficient to cover demand . In view of the duration of transport and of climatic 
conditions, the preservation of eggs transported to the French overseas departments 
presupposes the fulfilment of specific  supply arrangements, including the possibility to 
dispatch eggs chilled. These special arrangements can be justified by the lack of 
sufficient local egg production capacities. Until sufficient local production capacities 
are built up, these exceptional ar rangements should be maintained . 
(27) In order to take account of the specific conditions of egg marketing in certain remote 
regions in Finland, sales from producers to retail outlets in those regions should be 
exempted from the requirements of Regulation (E U) No 1308/2013  and of this 
Regulation , 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:  
Article 1  
Subject matter  
This Regulation supplements Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 with rules on  the marketing 
standards for eggs  of hens of the Gallus gallus  species , except eggs for hatching , in particular 
as regards : 
(a) the classification criteria;  
(b) the preservation and handling;  
(c) the marking and packing requirements ; 
(d) the use of optional reserved terms;  
(e) the tolerance levels;  
(f) the conditions for imports and exports.   
EN 7  EN  Article 2 
Definitions  
For the purpose s of this Regulation and Implementing Regulation (EU) …/… 
[PLAN/2022/1876  – to be completed by OP] , the definitions in Article 2(1) of Regulation 
(EC) No 852/2004 and points 5 .2, 5.3 , 5.4 and 7.3 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 
853/2004 shall apply  . 
In addition, the following definitions shall apply:   
(a) ‘pack’ means a wrapping containing Class A or Class B eggs, excluding transport 
packaging and containers of industrial eggs;  
(b) ‘loose egg sales’ means the offer for retail sale of eggs to the final consumer, other 
than in packs;  
(c) ‘collector’ means any establishment registered in accordance with Article 6 of 
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 to collect eggs from a producer for delivery to a 
packing ce ntre, to a market selling exclusively to wholesalers whose undertakings 
are approved as packing centres, or to the food or non -food industry;  
(d) ‘food industry’ means any establishment producing egg products intended for human 
consumption, excluding mass cate rers; 
(e) ‘non-food industry’ means any business producing products containing eggs not 
intended for human consumption;   
(f) ‘mass caterers’ means the establishments  referred to in  Article 2(2) , point (d), of 
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 ; 
(g) ‘eggs’ means eggs in shel l — other than broken, incubated  or cooked eggs — that 
are produced by  hens of the Gallus gallus  species and are fit for direct human 
consumption or for the preparation of egg products;  
(h) ‘broken eggs’ means eggs showing breaks of both the shell and the membranes, 
resulting in the exposure of their contents;  
(i) ‘incubated eggs’ means eggs from the time of insertion in the incubator onwards;  
(j) ‘industrial eggs’ means eggs not intended for human consumption;  
(k) ‘batch’ means the eggs in packs or loose from one and the same production site or 
packing centre, situated in one place, with one and the same laying date or date of 
minimum durability or packing date, the same farming method and, in case of graded 
eggs, the same quality and weight grading;  
(l) ‘repacking’ means the physical transfer of eggs to another pack or the re -marking of 
a pack containing eggs;  
(m) ‘marketing’ means holding eggs for the purpose of sale, including offering for sale, 
storage, packing, labelling, delivery, or any other form of transfer, whether fr ee of 
charge or not;  
(n) ‘operator’ means a producer and any other natural or legal person involved in the 
marketing of eggs;   
EN 8  EN (o) ‘production site’ means an establishment keeping laying hens, registered in 
accordance with Commission Directive 2002/4/EC12; 
(p) ‘packing centre’  means a packing centre within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 
853/2004 that is authorised in accord ance with  Article 2(2) of Implementing 
Regulation  (EU)  …/… [PLAN/2022/1876  - to be completed by OP]  and where eggs 
are graded by quality and weight;  
(q) ‘final consumer’ means the ultimate consumer of a foodstuff who will not use the 
food as part of any food business operation or activity;  
(r) ‘producer code’ means the distinguishing number of the production site according to 
point 2 of the Annex to Directive  2002/4/EC.  
Article 3 
Quality characteristics  of eggs 
1. Class A eggs shall have the following quality characteristics:  
(a) shell and cuticle: normal shape, clean and undamaged;  
(b) air space: height not exceeding 6 mm, stationary; however, for eggs to be marketed 
as ‘extra’, it may not exceed 4 mm;  
(c) yolk: visible on candling as a shadow only, without clearly discernible outline, 
slightly mobile upon turning the egg, and returning to a central position;  
(d) white: clear, translucent;  
(e) germ: imperceptible development;  
(f) foreig n matter: not permissible;  
(g) unintended foreign  smell: not permissible . 
2. Class B eggs shall be eggs which do not meet the quality characteristics provided for 
in paragraph 1. Class A eggs which no longer have those characteristics shall be  
downgraded to Class  B. Eggs not being marked within 10 days after laying shall be 
Class B eggs.  
Article 4  
Preservation and handling  of eggs  
1. Class A eggs shall not be washed or cleaned, before or after grading, except as 
provided for in paragraph 3. 
2. Class A eggs shall not be treated for preservation or chilled in premises or plants 
where the temperature is artificially maintained at less than 5  °C. However, eggs 
which have been kept at a temperature below 5 °C during transport for not more than 
24 hours or on retail premises o r in annexes thereto for not more than 72 hours shall 
not be considered as chilled.  
3. Member States which, on 1 June 2003, authorised packing centres to wash eggs may 
continue to authorise packing centres to wash eggs, provided that those centres 
operate in accordance with the national guides for egg -washing systems. Washed 
                                                 
12 Commission Directive 2002/4/EC of 30 January 2002 on the registration of establishments keeping 
laying hens, covered by Council Directive 1999/74/EC  (OJ L 30, 31.1.2002, p. 44 ).  
EN 9  EN eggs may only be marketed in the Member States in which such authorisations have 
been issued.  
4. The Member States referred to in paragraph 3 shall encourage the development of 
national guide s to good practice for egg -washing systems by the food business 
operators, in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004.  
Article 5 
Grading of Class A eggs by weight  
1. Class A eggs shall be graded by weight as follows:  
(a) XL — very large: weight ≥  73 g;  
(b) L — large: weight ≥ 63 g and < 73 g;  
(c) M — medium: weight ≥ 53 g and < 63 g;  
(d) S — small: weight < 53 g.  
2. The weight -grading shall be indicated by the corresponding letters or terms as 
defined in paragraph 1 or by a combination of both, which may be supp lemented by 
the corresponding weight ranges . 
3. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, where Class A eggs of different sizes are 
packed together in the same pack, the minimum net weight of the eggs shall be given 
in grams and the indication ‘Eggs of different  sizes’ or equivalent terms shall appear 
on the outer surface of the pack.  
Article 6  
Time limit for grading, marking and packing eggs and marking packs  
1. Class A e ggs shall be graded, marked and packed within 10 days of laying.   
2. Eggs marketed in accordance w ith Article 1 2 shall be graded, marked and packed 
within 4 days of laying.  
3. The date of minimum durability referred to in Article 1 1(1), point (d), of this 
Regulation  shall be marked at the time of packing in accordance with point 1 of  
Annex X  to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 . 
Article 7  
Information displayed on transport packaging  
1. Without prejudice to Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, at the production 
site, each transport packaging containing eggs shall be identified by the producer by : 
(a) the producer’s name and address;  
(b) the producer code ; 
(c) the number of eggs and/or their weight;  
(d) the laying date or period ; 
(e) the date of dispatch.   
EN 10  EN In the case of packing centres supplied with unpacked eggs from their own 
production units, situated at the same site, identification on transport packaging may 
take place at the packing centre.  
2. The information referred to in paragraph 1 shall be applied to the transport packaging 
and be contained in accompanying documents. A copy of those documents shall be 
kept by any intervening operator to whom the eggs are delivered. The originals of the 
accompanying documents shall be kept by the packing centre that grades the eggs.  
Where batches received by a collector are subdivided for delivery to more than one 
operator, the accompanying documents may be substituted by appropriate transport 
container labels, provided that the latter include the informa tion referred to in 
paragraph 1.  
3. The information referred to in paragraph 1 applied to the transport packaging shall 
not be mod ified and shall remain on the transport packaging until removal of eggs 
for immediate grading, marking, packing or further processing.  
Article 8  
Marking of eggs for cross -border delivery  
1. Eggs delivered from a production site  to a collector, a packing centr e, food  or non -
food industry situated in another Member State shall be marked with the producer 
code before leaving the production site.  
2. A Member State on whose territory the production site is situated may grant an 
exemption from the requirement provided for in paragraph 1, where a producer has 
signed a delivery contract with a packing centre in another Member State requiring 
the marking in accordance with this Regulation. Such an exemption may be granted 
only at the request of both operators concerned and  with the prior written agreement 
of the Member State where the packing centre is situated. In such cases, a copy of the 
delivery contract shall accompany the consignment.  
3. The minimum duration of delivery contracts referred to in paragraph 2 may not be 
less than one month.  
4. The inspection services, referred to in Article 9 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 
…/… [PLAN/2022/1876 – to be completed by OP] , of the Member States concerned, 
and of any transit Member States, shall be informed before an exemption is gra nted 
in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article.  
5. Class B eggs marketed in another Member State that are  marked in accordance with 
Part VI, Point III(1), second subparagraph, of Annex VI I to Regulation (EU) No 
1308/2013  shall , where  appropriate, bear an indication in accordance with Article 9 
of this Regulation so as to ensure that they can easily be distinguished from Class A 
eggs.  
 Article 9  
Indications on Class B eggs  
The indication referred to in Part VI, Point III(1), second sub paragraph, of Annex VII  to 
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013  shall be a circle of at least 12 mm in diameter around the 
letter ‘B’ at least 5 mm high, or an easily visible colour spot of at least 5 mm in diameter.   
EN 11  EN Article 1 0 
Marking of eggs delivered directly to the food industry  
1. Save as otherwise provided for by the sanitary legislation, Member States may 
exempt operators at their request from the marking obligations provided for in Part 
VI, Point III(1)  of Annex VII to  Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 where eggs are 
delivered directly from the production site to the food industry.  The delivery shall be 
under the full responsibility of the food industry operator, which accordingly 
undertakes to use the eggs only for processing.  
2. When i n the cases referred to in para graph  1 eggs are delivered from a production 
site in one Member State to the food industry in another Member State , the Member 
State where the production site is established shall appropriately inform the 
competent authorities of the other Member State abo ut the granting of the marking 
derogation before the first  deliver y takes place . 
3. Member States may exempt eggs that are imported from a third country and are 
delivered directly to the food industry from being marked provided that their final 
destination wi th a view to processing is checked by the competent authorities  of the 
Member State . 
Article 1 1 
Marking of packs  
1. Packs containing Class A eggs shall bear on the outer surface in easily visible and 
clearly legible type:  
(a) the codes of the packing centre s where eggs have been packed and, where 
appropriate, repacked ; 
(b) the quality grading; packs shall be identified either by the words ‘Class A’ or the 
letter ‘A’, whether alone or in combination with the word s ‘fresh’  or ‘fresh eggs’ ; 
(c) the weight grading in acco rdance with Article 5; 
(d) the date of minimum durability in accordance with Article 9(1) , point (f) , of 
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 ; 
(e) the wording ‘washed eggs’ for eggs washed in accordance with Article 4 of this 
Regulation;  
(f) as a special storage condition in accordance with Article 9(1) , point (g), of 
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 an indication advising consumers to keep eggs 
chilled after purchase.  
2. In addition to the requirements laid down in paragraph 1, packs containing Class A 
eggs shall bear on the outer s urface in easily visible and clearly legible type of the 
farming method.  
For the identification of the farming method only the following terms shall be used:  
(a) for conventional farming, the terms set out in Annex I  to this Regulation ;  
EN 12  EN (b) for organic production,  the terms set out in  Article 30(1) of Regulation (EU) 
2018/848  of the European Parliament and of the Council13. 
The meaning of the producer code shall be explained on or inside the pack.  
3. Paragraph 2 shall apply without prejudice to national technical measu res going 
beyond the minimum requirements for systems of production for the various egg 
farming methods laid down in Annex II, which may apply only to producers of the 
Member State concerned and provided that they are compatible with Union law. 
4. Packs containing Class B eggs shall bear on the outer surface in easily visible and 
clearly legible type:  
(a) the packing centre  code ; 
(b) the quality grading; packs shall be identified either by the words ‘Class B’ or the 
letter ‘B’;  
(c) the packing date.  
5. The Member States  may require, for packs of eggs produced on their territory, that 
the labels be affixed in such a way so as to be broken when opening the packs.  
Article 1 2 
Optional reserved terms concerning quality  
1. The words ‘extra’ or ‘extra fresh’ may be used as an addi tional quality indication on 
packs containing Class A eggs until the ninth day after laying of the eggs.  
2. Where indications referred to in paragraph 1 are used, the laying date and the time 
limit of 9 days shall be shown on the pack in such a way as to be easily visible and 
clearly legible.  
Article 1 3 
Optional reserved terms concerning feed  
Where an indication of how the laying hens are  fed is used, the following minimum 
requirements shall apply:  
(a) refer ence may be made to cereals as a feed ingredient only where  they account for at 
least 60 % in weight of the feed formula given , of which no more than 15  % of cereal 
by-products may be part;  
(b) without prejudice to the minimum of 60  % referred to in point (a),  where reference is 
made to a specific cereal, it shall account for at least 30  % of the feed formula used. 
If specific reference is made to more than one cereal, each shall account for at least 
5 % of the feed formula.  
                                                 
13 Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and  of the Council of 30 May 2018 on organic 
production and labelling of organic products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007  (OJ 
L 150, 14.6.2018, p. 1 ).   
EN 13  EN Article 1 4 
Information to be display ed for loose egg sales  
For loose egg sales, the following information shall be given in such a manner as to be easily 
visible and clearly legible to the consumer:  
(a) the quality grading;  
(b) the weight grading in accordance with Article 5; 
(c) an indication of the fa rming method as laid down  in Article 1 1(2); 
(d) an explanation of the meaning of the producer code;  
(e) the date of minimum durability.  
Article 15  
Quality of packs  
Without prejudice to the requirements for the wrapping and packaging of foodstuffs  laid down 
in Chap ter X of Annex II  to Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, packs shall be shock -resistant, 
dry, clean and in good repair, and be of materials which protect the eggs from extraneous 
odour  and the risk of quality deterioration.  
Article 1 6 
Packing of i ndustrial eggs  
Industrial eggs shall be marketed in packaging containers with a red band or label.  
Those bands and labels shall show:  
(a) the name and address of the operator for whom the eggs are intended;  
(b) the name and address of the operator who has dispatched the eggs;  
(c) the words ‘industrial eggs’ in capital letters 2 cm high, and the words ‘unsuitable for 
human consumption’ in letters at least 8 mm high.  
Article 1 7 
Repacking  
Packed Class A eggs may be repacked only by packing centres. Each pack shall contain only 
eggs of a single batch.  
 Article 18 
Tolerance for quality defects  
1. The following tolerances shall be allowed when checking batches of Class A eggs:  
(a) at the packing centre, just before dispatch: 5  % of eggs with quality defects;  
(b) at the other marketing stages: 7  % of eggs with quality defects.  
2. For eggs marketed as ‘extra’ or ‘extra fresh’, no tolerance shall be allowed for the 
height of the air space at the time of packing or import.   
EN 14  EN 3. Where the batch checked contains fewer than 180  eggs, the percentages referred to in 
paragraph 1 shall be doubled.  
Article 19 
Tolerance for egg weight   
1. Except in the case provided for in Article 5(3) in the checking of batches of Class A 
eggs, a tolerance shall be allowed as regards the weight per egg . Such batches may 
contain not more than 10  % of eggs of weight grades adjacent to that marked on the 
packing, but not more than 5  % of eggs of the next lower weight grade.  
2. Where the batch checked contains fewer than 180 eggs, the percentages referred to i n 
paragraph 1 shall be doubled.  
Article 2 0 
Tolerance for marking eggs   
A tolerance of 20  % of eggs with marks that are illegible shall be allowed in the checking of 
batches and packs.  
Article 2 1 
Eggs for export to third countries   
Eggs packed and intended  for export to third countries may be made to comply with 
requirements different from those laid down in  Part VI of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) No 
1308/2013 and in  this Regulation as regards quality, marking and labelling, or with additional 
requirements.  
Article  22 
Imported eggs  
1. The Commission shall evaluate marketing standards for eggs applicable in exporting 
third countries on request of the country concerned. This evaluation shall extend to 
the rules on marking and labe lling, farming methods and c heck s as well as their 
implementation. If it finds that the rules applied offer sufficient guarantees as to their 
equivalence with Union legislation, eggs imported from the countr y concerned shall 
be marked with a distinguishing number equivalent to the produc er code.  
2. Any evaluation of equivalence of rules as referred to in paragraph 1  shall include an 
assessment of whether the requirements contained in this Regulation are effectively 
met by operators in the third country concerned. It shall be updated regularly. The 
Commission shall publish the result of the evaluation in the Official J ournal of the 
European Union . 
3. Eggs imported from third countries shall be clearly and legibly marked in the country 
of origin with its ISO 3166 country code.  
4. Where there is not sufficient guarantee as to the equivalence of rules as referred to in 
paragraph  1, packs containing eggs imported from the third countr y concerned shall 
bear on the outer surface in easily visible and clearly legible type:  
(a) the country of origin;   
EN 15  EN (b) the farming method as ‘non -EU standard’.  
Article 23  
Exceptions for the French overseas d epartments  
1. By way of derogation from Article 4(2), eggs intended for retail trade in the French 
overseas departments may be dispatched chilled to those departments.  
2. In the case referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, in addition to the requirements 
provided for in Articles 1 1 and 1 4, the wording ‘chilled eggs’ shall appear and 
particulars as to refrigeration shall be given on the outer surface of the pack. The 
distinguishing mark for ‘chilled eggs’ shall be an equilateral triangle of at least 10 
mm alon g the sides.  
Article 24  
Exceptions for certain regions of Finland  
Eggs sold directly by the producer to retail outlets in the regions listed in Annex III  shall be 
exempted from the requirements of Part VI of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013  
and of this Regulation. However, the farming method must be duly identified in accordance 
with Article 1 1(2) and Article 14, point (c), of this Regulation.  
Article  25 
Repeal  
Regulation (EC) No 589/2008  is repealed . 
References to the repealed Regulation shall be construed as references to this Regulation and 
to Implementing Regulation  (EU)  …/…  [PLAN/2022/1876 – to be completed by OP]  and 
shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex IV to this Regula tion. 
Article  26 
Entry into force  
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth  day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Union . 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in the Member States in 
accordance with the Treaties.  
Done at Brussels,  
 For the Commission  
 The President  
 Ursula VON DER LEYEN